Raskin States Trump Needs Congressional Approval for Qatar Jet
Representative Jamie Raskin, a prominent Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, emphasized on Monday that President Trump must secure Congressional approval before accepting a lavish Boeing 747-8 from the Qatari government.
During an appearance on CNN, Raskin was asked if he believed there were conditions tied to the gift.
“Oh, absolutely,” he responded. “The Constitution stops the President from accepting gifts of any kind from a foreign power without Congressional consent.”
“According to the Constitution, any gifts from a king, prince, or foreign state require Congress’s approval,” added the Maryland representative. “He has to go through Congress first.”
Raskin referenced the Statue of Liberty, noting that in 1877, then-President Grant signed a resolution allowing gifts from France just as his inauguration concluded. In 1886, President Cleveland officially accepted the statue, which has since become a New York landmark.
“It’s essential to involve Congress in accepting gifts from foreign governments,” he continued. “There are numerous foreign policy ramifications that need discussion.”
Starting Sunday, Trump indicated that his administration intended to accept luxury jets valued at roughly $400 million from the Qatari royal family, stating that the Department of Defense would receive them.
The aircraft would temporarily take the place of Air Force One, a model that has been in use for over three decades, and would later move to Trump’s Presidential Library after his term.
Defending the possible gift from Qatar on Monday, Trump remarked that refusing it would be “ridiculous.”
“They expressed, ‘We want to contribute something.’ If they can provide a 747 to our Defense Department while others are being built, I think that’s a wonderful gesture,” Trump said.
Even some Democrats and Trump’s close allies have criticized the potential acceptance of the planes.
Raskin reiterated his stance in a post on the social platform X on Sunday.
“Trump must seek approval from Congress to accept this $300 million gift from Qatar,” he noted. “The Constitution is crystal clear. No acceptance of gifts from a foreign state is allowed without Congressional consent,” he wrote. “The gifts kept in the library after four years remain gifts regardless.”
