Trump hits back at critics over Qatari jet 'gift' backlash, calls Democrats 'world class losers'

WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump clapped back hard at those who coming in the way of his plans for a new Air Force One.

The president defended his plan to accept a “free” Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar. 

While the Qatari government insists the deal is yet to be finalized, Trump has already taken to Truth Social to blast critics and flex about the supposed no-cost jet, the Irish Star reported.

“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump wrote. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA.” 

But ethics watchdogs and legal experts are sounding the alarm, saying it could be a blatant violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause.

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Norm Eisen, who once served as White House ethics lawyer, told The Washington Post, “It’s so plain what’s going on here — they want to put a $400 million aircraft in the hands of Trump to scratch his itch.”

According to him, this could be the “largest gift" given to any American president by a foreign government in modern history. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also fumed on social media. “Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,” Schumer wrote, adding, “It’s not just bribery, it’s premium foreign influence with extra legroom.”

Kathleen Clark, a government ethics professor at Washington University, alleged that Trump is "committed to exploiting the federal government’s power, not on behalf of policy goals, but for amassing personal wealth," as quoted by AP.

Trump has been airing his grievances about the current Air Force One setup for years. The existing planes are heavily modified Boeing 747s, and both are over 30 years old. Boeing already has a contract to replace them, but several delays and cost overruns have left Trump fuming.

Back in February, Trump told reporters, “We gave that contract out a long time ago as a fixed-price contract, and I’m not happy with the fact that it’s taking so long, and we may do something else. We may go and buy a plane or get a plane or something.”

Now, Trump wants the Air Force to install secure communications and classified tech on the Qatari plane, converting it into a functional Air Force One. But a former official warned that it still won’t match the capabilities of the official jets or the new ones under construction.

Qatar hits the brakes

Despite Donald Trump’s enthusiasm, Qatar appears to be putting the brakes.

Reports that the plane was already en route to Trump were quickly shut down by Ali Al-Ansari, the Qatari media attache. “Reports that a jet is being gifted by Qatar to the United States government during the upcoming visit of President Trump are inaccurate," he said.

"The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense. But the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made," Al-Ansari added.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is reportedly preparing an analysis to argue that the deal is legal despite the emoluments clause red flags.

When White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked if Trump was mixing personal and presidential business, Leavitt called the idea “ridiculous” and pushed back against the notion that Trump “is doing anything for his own benefit.”