White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is not worried that President Donald Trump could be enticed to give Qatar something in return after its $400 million “flying palace” gift.
Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade pressed Leavitt on concerns that the massive Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet Qatar gifted the president amounted to a quid pro quo.
“Do you worry that if they give us something like this, they want something in return?” Kilmeade asked.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Absolutely not,” Leavitt said. “Because they know President Trump and they know he only works with the interests of the American public in mind.”
The Department of Justice insisted on Sunday that the $400 million jet did not violate the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which prohibits government officials from accepting foreign gifts without congressional approval, and Leavitt claimed on Monday the plane‘s “donation” was “done in full compliance with the law.”
Still, the news spurred anger from Democrats and even Trump’s own supporters.
Far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer said the decision to accept the plane would be a “stain” on the Trump administration, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the plane amounted to “premium foreign influence with extra legroom.”
Trump defended the decision to accept the plane, which officials told ABC News would be given to the Defense Department and later be donated to the Trump Presidential Library just before he leaves office.
“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 wrote on Truth Social. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!”
Trump also blasted ABC News reporter Rachel Scott after she asked Trump on Monday whether the gift could be seen as improper, saying the network should be “embarrassed” that she asked the question.
“It’s a gift to the Department of Defense, and you should know better,” Trump said. “Cause you have embarrassed enough, and so has your network. Your network is a disaster, ABC is a disaster.”
