ABC Information stories:
In what often is the Most worthy present ever prolonged to the United States from a overseas authorities, the Trump administration is making ready to just accept an excellent luxurious Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal household of Qatar — a present that’s to be out there to be used by President Donald Trump as the brand new Air Power One till shortly earlier than he leaves workplace, at which era possession of the airplane will likely be transferred to the Trump presidential library basis, sources acquainted with the proposed association informed ABC Information.
The present is anticipated to be introduced subsequent week, when Trump visits Qatar on the primary overseas journey of his second time period, based on sources acquainted with the plans.
Trump toured the airplane, which is so opulently configured it is called “a flying palace,” whereas it was parked on the West Palm Seashore Worldwide Airport in February.
One would possibly suppose this present raises authorized points. Administration attorneys apparently have these bases coated:
sources informed ABC Information that attorneys for the White Home counsel’s workplace and the Division of Justice drafted an evaluation for Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth concluding that’s authorized for the Division of Protection to just accept the plane as a present and later flip it over to the Trump library, and that it doesn’t violate legal guidelines in opposition to bribery or the Structure’s prohibition (the emoluments clause) of any U.S. authorities official accepting presents “from any King, Prince or overseas State.”
Sources informed ABC Information that Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi and Trump’s prime White Home lawyer David Warrington concluded it will be “legally permissible” for the donation of the plane to be conditioned on transferring its possession to Trump’s presidential library earlier than the top of his time period, based on sources acquainted with their dedication. . . .
Each the White Home and DOJ concluded that as a result of the present is just not conditioned on any official act, it doesn’t represent bribery, the sources mentioned. Bondi’s authorized evaluation additionally says it doesn’t run afoul of the Structure’s prohibition on overseas presents as a result of the airplane is just not being given to a person, however slightly to america Air Power and, ultimately, to the presidential library basis, the sources mentioned.
One may additionally suppose a present of this kind may elevate safety considerations, significantly given the Qatari authorities’s efforts to affect U.S. coverage (and universities). Apparently such considerations will likely be addressed when the airplane is modified to fulfill the necessities for presidential use.
In line with the story, the airplane is to be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Basis no later than January 1, 2029, on the federal authorities’s expense. The story estimates the worth of the airplane at roughly $400 million.
In unrelated information, the Related Press reported on April 30:
The Trump household firm struck a deal Wednesday to construct a luxurious golf resort in Qatar in an indication it has no plans to carry again from overseas dealmaking throughout a second Trump administration, regardless of the hazard of a president shaping U.S. public coverage for private monetary achieve.
The undertaking, which options Trump-branded beachside villas and an 18-hole golf course to be constructed by a Saudi Arabian firm, is the primary overseas deal by the Trump Group since Donald Trump took workplace and in contrast to any executed in his first time period. Again then, he forswore overseas offers in a rare press convention surrounded by stacks of authorized paperwork as he pledged to keep away from even the looks of battle of curiosity.
