Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) has stated that President Trump intends to accept a lavish jet from Qatar but must first obtain Congressional approval.
On Sunday, Raskin posted on X that “Trump must seek Congress’ consent to receive this $300 million gift from Qatar.”
This remark came in response to an ABC News report indicating that Trump was set to accept a beautiful Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from Qatar’s royal family. The aircraft was intended for his usage as Air Force One until the end of his term and would later be moved to the Trump Presidential Library, according to sources mentioned in the report.
“The Constitution is clear. There is no kind of gift from a foreign country without Congressional permission,” Raskin further asserted in his post.
“The gifts stored in the library after four years remain gifts,” he added.
Raskin, a prominent Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, has been critical of how Trump has managed disclosures regarding foreign gifts. He spearheaded a 2023 investigation revealing that the first Trump administration did not publicly report over 100 foreign gifts totaling more than $250,000.
On Sunday, Trump acknowledged that his administration plans to accept the aircraft as a “temporary” gift but highlighted that the Department of Defense will oversee “a very public and transparent” process related to the arrangement.
In a statement to News Nation, White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt did not confirm specifics about the deal but noted, “Gifts from foreign governments are always accepted in compliance with applicable laws. President Trump’s administration is committed to transparency.”
