GOP senators back Trump’s right to keep $400M Qatari plane after leaving office despite ‘bribe’ criticism

WASHINGTON, DC: Republican senators on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee voted down a proposed amendment that would have barred President Donald Trump from retaining the Qatari luxury jet after the end of his term.

The vote, which failed 14–15, came in response to concerns raised by Democrats over the future ownership of the aircraft, nicknamed a “palace in the sky”, currently being retrofitted at taxpayer expense to serve as a temporary Air Force One during upgrades to the existing fleet.

Senate amendment to block Donald Trump from owning Qatari jet fails as Republicans unite against measure

The aircraft, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, was reportedly offered to President Donald Trump by the Qatari government earlier this year. ABC News first broke the story in May, revealing that the Pentagon's internal plan involved transferring the aircraft to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation after his term.

Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), who introduced the amendment, argued that allowing Trump to keep the aircraft amounted to an abuse of public funds.

“The fight against corruption has to be ceaseless,” Murphy wrote. “Today in the Appropriations Committee, I will offer an amendment to prohibit the Qatari jet that was gifted to Trump (which is going to cost taxpayers $1 billion) from being transferred to him personally,” he wrote on X.

About an hour and a half after the vote, Murphy took to social media to share the outcome, revealing that his amendment had been narrowly defeated.

“Update: I offered the amendment,” he said, adding, “Not to refuse acceptance of the Qatari jet; just to prohibit Trump from taking it with him when he leaves office – after the taxpayers spend $1 billion to retrofit it. Failed 14-15. Every single Republican voted to allow Trump to take the jet.”

The Trump administration has denied that the aircraft will be used for personal gain, but critics remain skeptical, especially amid ongoing concerns about the ethical implications of accepting such a high-value foreign gift while in office.

Internet outrage grows as Senate Republicans vote down amendment 

Republican members of the Senate Appropriations Committee faced intense backlash after voting down an amendment that would have explicitly barred President Donald Trump from retaining a luxury Qatari aircraft after his presidency.

Critics argue the decision paves the way for Trump to accept what they call a “foreign bribe in broad daylight,” sparking a wave of online outrage and skepticism.

“We always knew this is how it would end. At least now we’ll receive some entertainment value out of watching MAGATS explain why it’s perfectly acceptable for an American President to accept a bribe in plain sight from a foreign government,” one user wrote.

“Everyone knew all along this was nothing more than an illegal bribe. MAGA Senators just certified it,” another added bluntly.

“I want to see what they do when the next Democratic President accepts a summer vacation home in the Bahamas,” one commenter joked. “And... how does that justify him keeping it?” asked another.

“If it's only going to sit in a library, why are we spending a billion to retrofit it?” another penned.

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