Trump Administration Preparing to Accept Luxury Jet from Qatar’s Royal Family: Report

4 days ago 16

The Trump medication is getting acceptable to judge a ace luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo pitchy from the royal household of Qatar to regenerate Air Force One until Donald Trump’s 2nd word ends, erstwhile ownership of the level volition beryllium shifted to his statesmanlike room foundation, ABC News reported, citing sources acquainted with the agreement.

Trump is scheduled to sojourn Qatar adjacent week wherever the talented level — which has been described arsenic “a flying palace” worthy $400 cardinal — is anticipated to beryllium announced. If the woody goes through, it would beryllium the astir costly acquisition ever offered to the United States by a overseas government. Trump personally toured the level successful February erstwhile it was astatine West Palm Beach International Airport.

The emoluments clause of the Constitution bars national officeholders from “accept of immoderate present, Emolument, Office, oregon Title, of immoderate benignant whatever, from immoderate King, Prince, oregon overseas State” without support from Congress. But medication lawyers person fixed the acquisition the greenish light.

Per ABC News’ sources, Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington determined it is “legally permissible” due to the fact that the level volition beryllium fixed connected the presumption that its ownership volition transportation to Trump’s statesmanlike room earlier helium leaves office. But first, the 13-year-old level volition beryllium fixed to the U.S. Air Force, which volition screen the costs of updating the level to conscionable U.S. subject specifications indispensable to transport the president, ABC News sources acquainted with the anticipated arrangement.

Government lawyers successful the White House and Department of Justice decided that the contiguous does not magnitude to bribery due to the fact that it is not being talented connected the information of an authoritative act. Bondi additionally decided that the acquisition is not bribery due to the fact that the level is being fixed to the Air Force and past to Trump’s statesmanlike room alternatively than to Trump himself.

One crushed Trump would privation a caller craft from Qatar is that plans to physique a caller fleet of Air Force One planes person been delayed and implicit fund connected a $3.9 cardinal contract. Although a declaration was signed with Boeing successful 2018 — during Trump’s archetypal medication — to physique the caller fleet, the planes were not expected to beryllium acceptable to usage until 2029, aft Trump’s 2nd word expires. Trump has asked Elon Musk to assistance expedite the process.

While Musk’s efforts person moved the transportation day up by 2 years, Trump is antsy to bask a luxurious caller Air Force One sometime this year. Enter the Qatari royal household and their “palace successful the sky.”

Concerns astir accepting the level from Qatar see the information ramifications of accepting specified a contiguous — 1 that volition not lone transport the president but besides big delicate and classified conversations — from a overseas government. The talented level besides whitethorn not beryllium capable to execute astatine the aforesaid level arsenic the existent Air Force One jets, and the abbreviated timeline won’t let for show modifications.

“You could bash immoderate paint, you could bash immoderate communications upgrades, and I fishy it would beryllium hard to bash excessively overmuch beyond that connected that timeline,” Andrew Hunter, the Air Force’s acquisition nether Biden, told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month.

The Trumps look to beryllium fostering a adjacent narration with the Qatari authorities and royal family. Late past month, the Trump Organization announced it has agreed to physique a new Middle East play people in Qatar successful concern with Qatari Diar, a existent property institution created by the nation’s sovereign wealthiness fund. The seat of Qatari Diar is simply a curate successful the authorities of Qatar.

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