President Donald Trump is facing mounting bipartisan criticism over his plan to accept a $400 million Boeing 747-8 aircraft from the government of Qatar, as both allies and opponents question the legality and security implications of what would be the largest foreign gift ever given to a sitting U.S. president.
While the White House insists the plane is being gifted to the U.S. Air Force and not Trump personally, the president has made clear that he intends to use the aircraft as a temporary Air Force One and later transfer it to his future presidential library. He would be a "stupid person" not to take it, Trump said, defending the decision amid escalating backlash during his Middle East trip.
House Democrats launched an investigation Thursday, raising constitutional concerns and accusing the administration of circumventing the Foreign Emoluments Clause. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington demanding the release of a legal memo justifying the acceptance of the jet.
"Any legal memo purporting to make such a claim would obviously fly in the face of the text of the Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause," Raskin and other Democrats wrote. They also alleged the gift may constitute an improperly solicited bribe, citing Trump's complaints about Boeing delays and the planned post-presidency transfer of the aircraft to his library.
The memo in question was reportedly authored by Bondi, who previously earned over $100,000 per month as a registered foreign agent for Qatar. Democrats called the involvement a "significant and obvious conflict of interest."
Republicans are also voicing concerns, albeit focused more on national security than constitutional violations. "My concern is his safety," said Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., noting Qatar's relationship with Hamas. "How are we going to know that the plane is safe?"
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., was more blunt: "I trust Qatar like I trust a rest-stop bathroom."
Critics across the ideological spectrum have highlighted Qatar's ties to militant groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah. Far-right activist and Trump loyalist Laura Loomer called the gift "such a stain" and said, "We cannot accept a $400 million 'gift' from jihadists in suits."
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro echoed those concerns. "Taking sacks of goodies from people who support Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood, Al Jazeera, all the rest - that's not America first," he said on his podcast. "If we switch the names to Hunter Biden and Joe Biden, we'd all be freaking out on the right."
Despite these concerns, some Republicans have defended the move. "I think the media is making a much bigger deal out of this than it needs to be," Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., said, adding that the jet would go through all necessary legal and ethical reviews.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., declined to take a firm stance, stating: "My understanding is that it's not a personal gift to the president, it's a gift to the United States. Other nations give us gifts all the time."
Trump, frustrated by Boeing's delays in delivering two new Air Force One jets under a $3.9 billion contract awarded in 2018, sees the Qatari plane as a necessary stopgap. He met with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during his overseas trip earlier this week.
However, experts say if converted to Air Force One, the Qatari aircraft would require a complete overhaul to ensure it is free from surveillance and intelligence-gathering technology. Congressional Republicans on defense and intelligence committees told The Wall Street Journal the jet would have to be stripped and rebuilt to meet national security protocols.
While the Department of Defense has not officially commented, Trump said on Truth Social that rejecting the Qatari offer would be wasteful. "The Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE... so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane."
