Qatar Prime Minister Defends Jet Gift Offer To Trump—Says It’s A ‘Normal Thing…Between Allies’

Topline

Qatari Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, on Tuesday said his country’s offer to gift a $400 million luxury jet to President Donald Trump’s administration was a “normal” and transparent transaction between two allies, as he dismissed allegations that Qatar was using the lavish gift in an attempt to buy influence with the White House.

Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani speaks at the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha.

AFP via Getty Images

Key Facts

In an interview on stage at the Qatar Economic Forum, Al-Thani said a “lot of controversy has been created” out of what he called “an exchange between two countries.”

The prime minister said Qatar’s relationship with the U.S. is “very institutional,” and it has spanned multiple administrations, and the “plane story” is simply a transaction between the Qatari Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Al-Thani echoed the White House’s sentiment, saying the transaction is being done with “full transparency and very legally,” and a part of the decades-long cooperation between the two nations.

The prime minister then suggested that the luxury jet transfer offer acts of bilateral cooperation, like Qatar aiding in the airlifts from Afghanistan during the 2021 U.S. withdrawal and the security deployment by the U.S. during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Al-Thani suggested the bribery allegations were efforts to malign his country’s image unfairly.

Why Is Qatar Gifting A Plane To The Trump Administration?

When asked if he was concerned about the Congressional scrutiny future Qatari deals would draw due to this proposed transaction, Al-Thani said none of this was being done “under the table” or in a covert manner. The prime minister said “a proper legal review” was being conducted by the two countries’ defense departments and “nothing has happened yet actually.” Al-Thani then tried to explain why the plane was being offered, saying: “Our intention is to have a very clear exchange that the U.S. is in need for…To accelerate a temporary Air Force One. Qatar has the ability to provide this, we stepped up.” Al-Thani then added, “A lot of nations have gifted the U.S. many things,” before he appeared to jokingly mentioned comparisons with the Statue of Liberty.

Key Background

Qatar’s plan to gift a $400 million luxury Boeing 747-8 to the Trump administration as a replacement for the ageing Air Force One planes was first reported last week. Trump and the White House soon confirmed the offer, with the president calling it a “great gesture.” Trump dismissed critics, saying he would be a “stupid person” to “say ‘I don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.’” The president also confirmed that the jet would be donated to his presidential library before the end of his term, but said he won’t be using it after that. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the legal details of the deal were still being worked on but added: “any donation to this government is done in full compliance with the law and we commit ourselves to the utmost transparency, and we will continue to do that.”

Tangent

Trump’s plan to accept the Qatari plane triggered concerns from several GOP lawmakers and even some of the president’s staunchest supporters online. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said, “I’m not flying on a Qatari plane…I don’t know how you make it safe…I don’t want the president of the United States flying on an unsafe plane.” Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. also warned the U.S.’s ability to judge Qatar’s human rights record would be “clouded” by the gift and said it was simply “not worth the appearance of impropriety.” Several pro-Trump right wing online pundits also chimed in with criticism. Laura Loomer tweeted: “I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him. But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million ‘gift’ from jihadists in suits. The Qataris fund the same Iranian proxies in Hamas and Hezbollah who have murdered US Service Members.” Several top Democrats also lambasted Trump on the matter and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee launched a probe into the matter.

What To Watch For

On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he plans to introduce a bill that would “prohibit any foreign aircraft from being used as Air Force One.” He tweeted that proposed bill will also prohibit the Department of Defense “from using funds to procure or modify foreign aircraft for presidential flights,” while warning: “Retrofitting the Qatari plane would cost billions and could never even truly eliminate all catastrophic risks.” Last week Schumer called out Trump on X, saying he “lectures Americans about putting up with higher prices, prices he himself triggered. And then he’s accepting a $400 million private jet from the Qatari Royal Family…This is a bribe and a national security betrayal.”