In the world of ethics the donation From one government to another of anything valued in 400 million dollars It would cause serious turbulence. For Donald Trumphe doesn’t even deserve a shock.
The American president has defended the idea of Receive from the Royal Family of Qatar as a gift Boeing 747-800 luxury To use it as Air Force One, The presidential plane. In fact, in statements to the press at the White House before undertaking a trip to the Middle East, which includes a visit to Qatar, has come to say that It would be “stupid” not to accept it.
The storm broke out on the weekend, when the ABC chain advanced to the official announcement that was going to be made during Trump’s passage through the Arab country and revealed that the Republican was preparing to accept the gift of the aircraft, defined as “a Palace in heaven”And that is possibly the highest value ever carried out by a foreign government than Washington.
The president, then, hung a message on his social network confirming the news and tried to subtract any shadow of ethical doubt or about his legality, especially questionable in relation to the Emoluments clause of the Constitution, QIt prohibits public office from receiving donations or gifts of value from foreign governments. Trump said in Truth Social that it was “a Very public and transparent transaction”And that it would be the Department of Defense that would receive the aircraft, which after being prepared for official use would be used temporarily.
This Monday Trump, who could see in person in February the plane when he went through the West Palm Beach airport in Florida, has insisted that the donation is “a Great Qatar gesture “which appreciates” a lot. ” “I will never be the one who rejects that kind of offer. It would be stupid to say ‘We do not want a very expensive plane for free,’ he said in the White House.” They give us a free plane, “he said at another time.” I could say no, no, no, no; You do not give it to us, I want to pay you 1,000 million, or 400 million, or whatever, or I could say ‘thank you very much’ ”.
Emoluments and conflicts of interest
Trump ha insulted Both ABC and the chain reporter who has insisted on raising him if he has no ethical doubts about an operation that has jumped the alarms of specialized groups in corruption And of the Democrats and has even taken traditionally allies of the Administration, such as Fox News, to ask questions.
It is pointed out, for example, that the donation could violate the aforementioned watery clause since it can raise conflicts of interest, and not only in relations between the two governments. Among the Several projects of Trump’s private company In the Middle East, for example, there are plans to A golf course in Qatar.
“Air Force One is more than an airplane, it is a sImmbol of the Presidency and the US”, Have written In a critical statement four Democratic senators. “Any president who accepts this type of gift, valued at 400 million dollars, creates a clear Conflict of interesthe raises serious questions about national security, Invite to La foreign influence and mine la public trust in our government ”.
“Nothing says ‘USA first’ as Air Force One presented by Qatar,” he has also written with sarcasm in X Chuck Schumer., Democrats leader in the Senate “It is not just bribery, It is premium foreign influence with extra space for legs. ”
Other details
According to ABC Trump’s original information, he planned to use the plane until shortly before leaving office, at which time the property would be transferred to the foundation of its presidential library. This Monday Trump has assured that he would not use it once he left the presidency.
Catari charges cited from anonymity by ‘The New York Times’ say that the agreement has not yet been sealed but other US sources of the newspaper have affirmed that it has already received Green light of the main lawyer of the White House and the Attorney General, Pam Bondi. Before reaching the front of the Bondi Justice portfolio, I work as a wolf of, among others, the Qatar government.
Trump takes time complaining of delays in a contract that Boeing had to deliver two presidential planesa project for which the Budget continues About the initially planned. Besides, He has defended that the US also gives “free things” And he has suggested that Qatar is perhaps offering the plane as a “gesture” for the “help” that says that Washington offers to protect the Arab country from some neighbors in the region. “If it weren’t for us, they would probably not exist,” It has come to say.
