Trump Flies to Middle East Amid Storm Over Qatari Jet Gift
US President Donald Trump flew to the Middle East on Monday with a stopover in Doha, Qatar, as scrutiny deepened over his plan to accept a luxury aircraft from the Qatari royal family – a move critics say breaches long-standing ethics rules on gifts from foreign governments.
The controversy centres on a Boeing 747-8, reportedly valued at more than $400 million, initially ordered for Qatar’s ruling elite but now offered to Trump as a temporary presidential jet amid delays to the next-generation Air Force One.
Trump, who has voiced frustration with Boeing over the aircraft’s slow delivery, confirmed he intends to use the Qatari jet during any future term and keep it as a “personal trophy” after leaving office.
“Boeing has let us down,” Trump told reporters before his departure. “Qatar has stepped up in a big way.”
The move has triggered bipartisan criticism, with legal scholars warning it could violate the US Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, which bars officials from accepting gifts or titles from foreign states without Congressional approval.
“Accepting a jet from a foreign monarchy while pursuing the presidency raises unprecedented ethical red flags,” said Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel at watchdog group CREW. “No gift of this magnitude has been accepted in modern US history,” she is quoted by American media.
Under US law, foreign gifts exceeding $480 in value must be reported and surrendered to the government.
Officials can only retain such gifts after purchasing them at fair market value. Most are archived or displayed in presidential libraries.
The aircraft, currently undergoing modifications in Texas, would require expensive security retrofits to meet presidential standards. Analysts say taxpayers could still be liable for hundreds of millions in upgrade costs.
The White House has not clarified whether Congress has been consulted on the gift.
Trump’s campaign has dismissed the backlash, saying the jet is a symbolic gesture of goodwill and not tied to policy decisions.
Trump is expected to hold private meetings in Doha before travelling on to other Gulf capitals. It remains unclear whether the jet offer will complicate diplomatic engagements during the trip.
ligadwah@businessdayafrica.org