Legal Concerns Arise Over Qatar's $400 Million Presidential Plane Gift

Former White House attorneys responsible for enforcing rules on accepting foreign government gifts express serious concerns about former President Donald Trump's actions, describing them as blatant violations. Their critique extends beyond the reported acceptance of a $400 million airplane donation from Qatar to include troubling cryptocurrency involvements.

Central to the controversy is a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet, owned by the Qatari royal family, which they intend to donate and retrofit to function as Air Force One. Mr. Trump has long desired a new presidential aircraft and is said to have toured this specific Qatari-owned plane earlier this year while it was stationed at a Florida airport.

This plan has received approval from White House counsel David Warrington and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who argue that since the plane is given to the United States rather than directly to Mr. Trump, it does not constitute a personal gift.

However, critics emphasize that Mr. Trump would personally benefit from using the plane during his tenure and possibly beyond, effectively making this arrangement a direct gift to him despite legal justifications provided by administration lawyers.

The Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause prohibits a sitting president from accepting gifts or benefits of value from foreign governments without congressional consent. This clause was central to multiple lawsuits during Mr. Trump's first term, where courts consistently ruled that he could not receive various valuable items from foreign states. These cases were later dismissed as moot after his presidency ended.

Supporters of Mr. Trump may point to precedents involving the transfer of presidential aircraft, such as the Air Force One retired in 2001 and donated to the Reagan Library. Nonetheless, legal experts argue this comparison is flawed because that plane was never owned by a foreign government nor was it used personally by President Reagan after retirement—it was simply placed in a museum. Mr. Trump has denied intentions to use the donated plane after leaving office.