A Democratic congressman is asking for an ethics investigation over President Donald Trump’s plans to simply accept a $400 million jet from Qatar that may briefly function Air Power One earlier than being allotted to Trump’s presidential library after he leaves workplace.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., wrote to the Authorities Accountability Workplace on Sunday, noting that the aircraft can be the one costliest reward ever obtained by a U.S. president. Torres derided the deal as a “flying grift,” arguing it violates the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Structure, which “explicitly prohibits any particular person holding public workplace from accepting ‘any current, Emolument, Workplace, or Title, of any type no matter, from any King, Prince, or overseas State.'”
“I’m writing to precise alarm over experiences that President Donald Trump is poised to simply accept a luxurious plane — a Boeing 747-8 — from the federal government of Qatar. The aircraft, so opulent it has been described as a ‘palace within the sky,’ is ready to be made obtainable to President Trump for official use as Air Power One after which for personal use as soon as he leaves workplace,” Torres wrote.
“This ‘flying grift’ is merely the most recent chapter in a tawdry story of presidential profiteering unprecedented in American historical past,” Torres added.
President Donald Trump says he plans to simply accept the reward of a $400 million jet from Qatar. (AP Picture/Jose Luis Magana)
Trump described the deal in his personal phrases on social media in a submit Sunday night time.
“So the truth that the Protection Division is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 plane to interchange the 40-year-old Air Power One, briefly, in a really public and clear transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the aircraft,” he wrote.
“Anyone can try this! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!” he added.
TRUMP STAFFERS LOAD BOXES OF ITEMS SEIZED BY FBI IN 2022 MAR-A-LAGO RAID ONTO AIR FORCE ONE
ABC Information reported that Trump toured the aircraft in West Palm Seaside earlier this yr. Whereas the deal is ready to be introduced throughout Trump’s journey to the Center East this week, the precise transaction just isn’t anticipated to be made till later. Qatari officers say they anticipate to donate the aircraft by the Pentagon.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Democrat from New York, is asking for an ethics investigation into President Donald Trump’s plans to simply accept a jet from Qatar as a present. (Al Drago/Bloomberg through Getty Photographs)
“The potential switch of an plane for non permanent use as Air Power One is at the moment into consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Protection and the U.S. Division of Protection, however the matter stays beneath overview by the respective authorized departments, and no resolution has been made,” Qatari embassy official Ali Al-Ansari informed ABC Information.
Presidents have for many years circumvented the Emoluments Clause by classifying presents they obtain whereas in workplace as presents to the workplace of the president. These presents are then cataloged and saved as a part of their presidential libraries after leaving workplace. Whereas presidents keep some degree of entry to the objects of their libraries, they don’t personal them immediately and should buy them from the federal authorities so as to safe non-public possession.
TRUMP STAFFERS LOAD BOXES OF ITEMS SEIZED BY FBI IN 2022 MAR-A-LAGO RAID ONTO AIR FORCE ONE
If the jet had been to enter Trump’s presidential library, it’s unclear how prices can be apportioned for upkeep and utilization prices.
A Boeing 747-8, the identical basic mannequin because the one being gifted to Trump, sits on a tarmac. (Getty Photographs)
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When not in workplace as president, Trump has traveled in his non-public Boeing 757 jet, dubbed Trump Power One. That jet is famously emblazoned with Trump’s final identify and was ceaselessly seen within the backdrop of marketing campaign rallies.
