A Democratic lawmaker is raising objections over a temporary aircraft deal involving President Donald Trump and the government of Qatar, prompting Trump to lash out at what he described as political grandstanding that will ultimately waste taxpayer money.
“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump said in a Sunday night post on Truth Social.“Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA”
Trump’s response followed reports that Rep. Ritchie Torres is calling for an investigation into the Trump administration’s acceptance of a luxury aircraft from Qatar. According to Axios, the plane in question is believed to be a Boeing 747-8, a model with an estimated value of around $400 million.
In an official letter, Torres requested that the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Department of Defense’s acting inspector general, and the Office of Government Ethics look into whether accepting the aircraft violated any legal or ethical boundaries.
As criticism mounted, the Qatari government released a clarification, acknowledging that talks are underway regarding “the possible transfer” of the aircraft for limited use by Trump as Air Force One, but emphasizing that nothing has been finalized and denying that it was a gift.
ABC News reported that Trump is expected to use the plane throughout the remainder of his presidency, with the aircraft being transferred later to the foundation in charge of developing his presidential library, which is still in the planning phase.
Plans for a public announcement about the arrangement were reportedly being coordinated with Trump’s upcoming diplomatic trip to the Middle East, which includes visits to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This marks his first extended international tour since the start of his second term.
However, just hours after the story broke, Qatar’s media attaché, Ali Al-Ansari, issued a statement pushing back against the coverage.
“Reports that a jet is being gifted by Qatar to the United States government during the upcoming visit of President Trump are inaccurate.
“The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense,” the statement said. “But the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made.”
{Matzav.com}