Schatz, Coons Lead Group Of 27 Senators In Introducing Resolution To Condemn $400 Million Airplane Gift To Trump From Qatar
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today introduced a resolution in the Senate condemning a luxury airplane gift, valued at $400 million, President Donald Trump announced he will receive from the government of Qatar. According to reports, Trump intends to designate the plane as Air Force One while in office and then transfer it to a foundation for personal use following the end of his term. In addition to Schatz and Coons, the resolution is cosponsored by Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), and Andy Kim (D-N.J.).
“Air Force One is more than just a plane — it’s a symbol of the presidency and of the United States itself,” said Senator Schatz. “Any president who accepts this kind of gift, valued at $400 million, from a foreign government creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security questions, invites foreign influence, and undermines public trust in our government. We are asking the Senate to vote to reiterate a basic principle: no president should use public service for personal gain through foreign gifts.”
“President Trump’s penchant for corruption and grift has risen to a new level with the news his presidency is for sale – if you happen to have $400 million dollars,” said Leader Schumer. “This Qatari plane deal would be the largest Presidential bribe in modern history and it’s not just naked corruption, it’s a grave national security threat. Senate Republicans may bury their heads in the sand while Trump tries to enrich himself and his billionaire buddies, but Senate Democrats are going to stand up for the American people and say enough is enough – we condemn this attempt at corruption and gross violation of the Constitution.”
“We wouldn’t trust another country to decorate the Oval Office, to set up our Situation Room, or to wire the White House briefing room, so why would we let another country build Air Force One for us, which is an airborne version of all three? This isn’t just a massive act of corruption, it’s a national security risk of the highest order,” said Senator Coons, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. “If President Trump is so willing to put his own administration in danger for the sake of a $400 million gift, imagine how much danger he’s willing to put the American people in.”
“While Republicans plot to gut vital services like Social Security and Medicaid and unleash economic uncertainty onto hardworking Americans, Donald Trump is planning to accept a luxury jet, valued at $400 million, from a foreign government,” said Senator Booker. “This not only creates a clear conflict of interest, raises serious national security concerns, and undermines public trust in our government, but is a slap in the face to the people across the country who are struggling to make ends meet. All Senators should be able to agree that no one should use public service for personal gain through foreign gifts. I hope my Republican colleagues will support this resolution.”
“The president doesn’t get to trade U.S. foreign policy and national security for a private jet,” said Senator Murphy. “This resolution sends the message Trump won’t: the Oval Office is not for sale.”
“No, Donald Trump cannot accept a $400 million flying palace from the royal family of Qatar. Not only is this farcically corrupt, it is blatantly unconstitutional,” said Senator Sanders. “Congress must not allow this over-the-top kleptocracy to proceed.”
“President Trump wants to accept a $400 million private jet from a foreign government, have American taxpayers pay to retrofit it as Air Force One, and then keep it for himself to jet around the world as soon as he leaves office. It’s hard to imagine more brazen corruption or a clearer violation of our Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, and there’s no question this outlandish proposal puts our country’s national security at risk,” said Senator Murray. “Every member of Congress should support this simple resolution condemning violations of the Emoluments Clause and making clear Trump cannot accept a $400 million private jet from Qatar without explicit consent from Congress.”
“If someone came to one of my town halls in Oregon and tried to argue that getting a $400 million jet from the government of Qatar wasn’t corruption, they would be laughed out of town,” said Senator Wyden. “Instead of securing new allies against adversaries like China or opening new markets for American products, Trump is using America’s clout to get a private jet. It’s corruption plain and simple that fritters away American influence and leaves us weaker.”
“While Republicans in Congress are working to gut Medicaid and Social Security, President Trump is brazenly accepting a luxury jumbo jet from Qatar — for his use during and after he leaves office,” said Senator Padilla. “Once again, Trump is showing us that he puts his own interests above those of the American people, benefiting himself and leaving working families behind. This foreign gift reeks of corruption, is blatantly against the law, threatens our national security, and will cost taxpayers tens of millions in retrofit costs and security upgrades.”
“Donald Trump is accepting a multimillion dollar plane from a foreign government as a personal gift, while clearly ignoring the Constitution,” said Senator Rosen. “Trump gets richer off of his position while hardworking families suffer from his reckless actions. This is corruption plain and simple, and I’m supporting this resolution to make our strong opposition clear.”
“This is corruption plain and simple. The President of the United States accepting a $400 million plane from a foreign government is unheard of, and would require direct consent from Congress,” said Senator Warner. “This is just the latest act by President Trump that shows his administration has no regard for the rule of law and is ripe to be exploited by foreign actors.”
“Trump’s brazen willingness to accept a luxury jet from Qatar raises the dangerous prospect that the president can be bought and paid for by foreign powers — putting their interests over Americans’ and our national security. Every Senator should join us in rejecting it and blocking the sale of the presidency to the highest bidder,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“Our founding fathers knew that we must protect ourselves from corruption and foreign influence, which is exactly why we have a constitutional provision prohibiting presidents from accepting lavish gifts from foreign governments—a super luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet, reportedly valued at $400 million, is no exception,” said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Shaheen. “Congress and the American public have a right to know the details of any arrangement that calls into question whether the President is acting on behalf of American interests and American interests alone. Further, the security implications of taking a foreign-owned and managed plane and outfitting it with the most sensitive U.S. technology continues to demonstrate a lack of judgement in this administration when it comes to guarding U.S. intelligence.”
“There's no such thing as a $400 million "no-strings-attached" gift,” said Senator Duckworth. “This is the mother of all bribes. It puts our national security in jeopardy and erodes public trust—all for the President’s own personal gain. Donald Trump wants to sell our foreign policy and sell out our people.”
“Donald Trump accepting a $400 million gift from a foreign country is corruption in plain sight,” said Senator Hirono. “Trump’s latest grift undermines our national security, flies in the face of the Constitution, and will cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions, if not billions, in retrofits.”
“The mere notion that the President would cravenly accept a $400 million attempt to win favor from a foreign power is beyond the pale and reeks of corruption. The White House and presidency are sacred trusts from the American people, not venues for Trump to enrich himself and his family with shady deals and influence buying,” said Senator Durbin. “Our resolution reaffirms what our Constitution makes clear – no President should receive gifts from a foreign power.”
“While President Trump claims to target fraud and abuse, his actions continue to prove that his priorities are his own interests and those of his wealthy friends,” said Senator Bennet. “His plan to accept a $400 million luxury jet from the Qatari government for use as Air Force One is an act of blatant corruption and a violation of our Constitution that poses severe counterintelligence risks, needlessly undermining U.S. national security.”
“This is corruption in plain sight. Under no circumstance should a sitting president be accepting luxury gifts from a foreign government, especially while negotiating an arms sale,” said Senator Blunt Rochester. “This is yet another example of President Trump focusing on enriching himself rather than improving the lives of everyday Americans. I’m joining with my colleagues on this resolution to protect national security, to stand up for our constituents, and to uphold the rule of law.”
“If an ordinary government official accepted a gift even a fraction as valuable as this, there would be a full investigation, and potential firings due to concerns of foreign influence,” said Senator Slotkin. “Now the President is taking a $400 million foreign gift. Beyond the perception of corruption, the idea that a foreign country would have access to Air Force One, as the buyer, during production, leaves it incredibly vulnerable to bugs, tracking devices, and whatever else they or other countries may attempt to manipulate.”
“This is corruption, plain and simple. The U.S. is not for sale, and we cannot allow the presidency to be bought by foreign interests,” said Senator Klobuchar.
“Just when you think the Trump Administration can’t sink to a new low of ethical misconduct, he accepts a luxury jet from a foreign nation. Corruption on full display,” said Senator Merkley.
“We're beyond foreign interference at this point. We're watching a President invite a foreign government to buy him off,” said Senator Alsobrooks. “American values are actively being flushed down the toiled by this corrupt President."
“The American public knows this is wrong—especially a gift of this size,” said Senator Kim. “It’s blatant corruption, and the President knows it. Air Force One isn’t just a plane—it’s a secure command center for national security decisions and classified communications and is hardened to ensure the President is protected. Taking a jet from a foreign government is a serious national security risk, and taxpayers will still foot the bill to make it flight ready. This is a dangerous abuse of power, plain and simple.”
The full text of the resolution is available here.
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