A Jet, a Jeer, and the Judgement of History: President Trump’s Qatari Scandal
- WireNews
- 1 minute ago
- 4 min read
by Ram ben Ze'ev
President Donald J. Trump has reportedly accepted—or is preparing to accept—a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet aircraft, estimated to be worth over $400 million, from the Qatari royal family. The aircraft, it is claimed, will be used by the Trump family and the Executive Branch as a replacement for the current presidential aircraft while it undergoes refurbishment or replacement.
This revelation has unleashed a storm of outrage—not least because the Qatari government, which is widely acknowledged to have financial and ideological ties with terror organisations including חמאס (Hamas), is a foreign actor. And yet the very administration that spent years excoriating the Biden family—especially Hunter Biden—for allegedly profiting from foreign relationships, now stands at the centre of what may prove to be a more audacious scandal.
Let us be absolutely clear: accepting a personal or governmental gift of this magnitude from a foreign government is not only ethically troubling—it may well be illegal.
The Emoluments Clause: What the Law Says
The United States Constitution, Article I, Section 9, Clause 8—commonly referred to as the Foreign Emoluments Clause—states:
"No Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."
This is not a ceremonial clause. It was crafted precisely to prevent foreign powers from currying favour or exercising influence over American officials, particularly the President.
Accepting a $400 million aircraft is not a trinket or token—it is, in every sense, an emolument.
Moreover, under the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act (5 U.S.C. § 7342), gifts of more than minimal value from foreign governments must be reported, and typically become property of the United States, not of the individual officeholder. Minimal value is defined by the General Services Administration and currently sits at approximately $415.
Has Congress granted consent for this aircraft? No. Has the gift been reported according to legal requirements? There is no public record of such a report. Has this aircraft been offered to the United States, or to Donald Trump and his family personally? That, too, remains murky—but damning in its ambiguity.
Historical Precedent: How Other Presidents Handled Gifts
In past administrations, even relatively modest gifts from foreign leaders were either declined, returned, or handed over to the National Archives or the GSA.
President Ronald Reagan was gifted a riding horse by Queen Elizabeth II. He accepted it on behalf of the American people, and it was stabled under federal ownership.
President Barack Obama received a range of personal and state gifts, including jewellery and artworks. All items exceeding the minimal value threshold were documented, assessed, and either returned or archived.
President George W. Bush was given a gold necklace by the King of Saudi Arabia. It too was reported and surrendered to the National Archives.
At no point has a modern American President accepted personal use of a gift valued in the hundreds of millions from a foreign state—let alone one so geopolitically controversial.
Qatar’s Reputation: Not a Friendly Ally
Qatar is not Luxembourg. It is not New Zealand. This is not a benign monarchy offering a gesture of friendship. Qatar is a nation long accused of funding radical Islamic terror, maintaining open channels with the Iranian regime, and giving shelter to ideologues and financiers of global jihad.
For President Trump, who once called for a Muslim ban and promised to drain the swamp of foreign entanglements, to accept a gift from Doha is not only hypocritical—it is cynical. It places America’s foreign policy and moral credibility for sale on the tarmac of a desert emirate.
The Spectre of Hypocrisy and the Shame of Justification
Perhaps the most galling element of this episode is the shameless hypocrisy. President Trump and his loyalists spent years howling about Hunter Biden’s art sales, Chinese dealings, and board seats. Conservative media outlets called such relationships “treasonous,” “un-American,” and “evidence of a compromised presidency.”
And yet, when their own leader is offered a $400 million jet from a government with blood on its hands, they either spin excuses or remain shamefully silent.
Some defend the move as “legal” or “necessary,” given the age of the current Air Force One aircraft. That argument fails twice: once legally, as the gift is not from Boeing or an American contractor—but from a foreign regime; and again ethically, since the United States government, not the Qatari monarchy, should be funding presidential transport.
Others claim the aircraft is being “loaned” or “donated to the American people.” But this too lacks documentation, transparency, and precedent.
The Bigger Danger: Foreign Influence Normalised
Whether it is the Trump Organisation's long-standing relationships with Saudi investors, Turkish developers, or now Qatari sheikhs, the pattern is unmistakable: foreign influence is no longer hidden—it is being flaunted. And if this gift goes unchallenged, it may well set the most dangerous precedent of all—that the Executive Branch can auction off proximity, power, and even patriotism to the highest bidder.
Congress must act. The American people must demand clarity. And if the President refuses to reject the gift, then it must be seized or frozen until such time as its legality is fully reviewed.
No foreign prince should be allowed to purchase influence in Washington. Not with diamonds. Not with oil. And certainly not with a flying palace dressed in gold leaf.
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Bill White (Ram ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews Limited, Mayside Partners Limited, MEADHANAN Agency, Kestrel Assets Limited, SpudsToGo Limited and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue
