Qatari plane is just more of Trump’s corruption

Donald Trump’s solicitation of a “gift” of an opulently-outfitted 747 aircraft from the government of Qatar almost certainly violates the emoluments clause of the Constitution. Adding insult to constitutional crime, it also represents the most blatant example of presidential waste, fraud and abuse in the nation’s history.

In terms of waste, the Qatari plane will require many hundreds of millions of dollars in upgrades (secure communications, anti-missile defenses, nuclear EMP hardening, in-flight refueling capacity) in order to adequately serve as an Air Force One flying headquarters. Those upgrades will likely take years to complete, meaning that at best the plane would probably only serve a few months in Trump’s final term in office. More importantly, the U.S. Government has already ordered delivery of two new Boeing 747-8 aircraft as replacements for the aging Air Force One 747s. While these new planes have been seriously delayed, they are currently scheduled for accelerated delivery in 2027. Thus, there is a real risk that the Qatari plane might not even be operationally available before the two full-capability replacement jets are delivered, rendering its upgrade costs, perhaps as much as a billion dollars, completely and totally wasted.

In terms of fraud, the reported plan for the Qatari government to give the plane to the Pentagon, which would then donate the plane to Trump’s non-existent Presidential Library prior to his leaving office, is obvious subterfuge. From the taxpayer’s perspective, at a minimum, it would be preferable for the Pentagon to auction off the plane at the end of Trump’s term rather than providing it for him and his family to use. And, Trump’s promise not to personally use the aircraft and let it sit idle until the Library is completed — at least a decade away — is simply not credible.

Finally, in terms of abuse, the solicitation of the aircraft represents an egregious case of presidential misuse of office. Trump made no secret of his desire to be seen flying in the most impressive aircraft of any global leader. Given his obvious hunger for the opulent plane, is there any doubt that the Qatari government will ultimately be expecting something in return? Senator Menendez is currently serving an 11-year jail term for accepting some gold bars and a Mercedes for advancing Egypt’s interests. Donald Trump’s ultimate quid pro quo for a massive new plane will probably be less direct and out in the open, but orders of magnitude of greater potential adverse significance to the nation.

Where is the Department of Government Efficiency (or the Congress, or the DOD Inspector General, or the White House Ethics Office, or even public outrage) when the waste, fraud and abuse, let alone constitutional violation, is so in-your-face?

— Ed Sanders, Boulder