Trump said the Boeing 747-8 airplane would eventually be donated to his presidential library – a repository housing research materials from his administration – and that he had no plans to use it for personal reasons after leaving office.
“I think it’s a great gesture from Qatar. I appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer,” Trump told reporters at the White House before leaving for a trip to the Middle East.”I mean, I could be a stupid person saying, ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane,'” Trump said.
The Republican president attributed the offer to gratitude for U.S. help in the defense of countries in the region including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, all stops on his itinerary this week.Trump also said accepting it was a practical decision, and that he was disappointed that Boeing has taken so long to deliver the new Air Force One planes he commissioned during his first term as president.
Critics of the offer said it was unethical and likely unconstitutional.
Democratic Senators Brian Schatz, Chris Murphy, Cory Booker and Chris Coons said in a statement that Trump’s acceptance of such a gift would create a clear conflict of interest, raise serious national security questions and invite foreign influence.
U.S. Representative Joe Courtney of Connecticut, the senior Democrat on the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, said it would distract from the Air Force’s efforts to speed up delivery of the actual new Air Force One fleet.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said legal details surrounding the donation to the Defense Department were still being worked out and that the Trump administration was not worried about what the Qataris might ask for in return.
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(Edited by : Juviraj anchil)
