In a move stirring both controversy and celebration, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has formally accepted a luxury Boeing 747 from Qatar to be used as Air Force One for former President Donald Trump, the Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the plane was accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations” and assured that the Defense Department will implement the necessary security measures to prepare the aircraft for presidential use.
Trump: “Why Pay Millions When It’s Free?”
Former President Trump, who discussed the gift during his recent Middle East trip, defended the decision on social media. “Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE,” he wrote.
However, legal scholars have raised alarms about the potential violation of U.S. laws that prohibit gifts from foreign governments to prevent corruption and undue influence. During a meeting with South Africa’s president at the Oval Office, Trump responded to questions about the controversy by saying, “They are giving the United States Air Force a jet.”
Democrats Call It the ‘Largest Bribe’ in U.S. History
The move sparked outrage among Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “Today marks a dark day in history: the president of the United States of America officially accepted the largest bribe from a foreign government in American history.” He called it an “unprecedented action” that “is a stain on the office of the presidency and cannot go unanswered.”