US President Donald Trump rejected ethical concerns about his plan to accept an aircraft as a gift from the royal family, and said it was “stupid” to reject the generous offer.
The US dollar luxury aircraft of $ 400 million, which would serve as Air Force One, would be one of the most valuable gifts ever received by the US government. The news about the offer drew immediate criticism from the Democrats and lawyers of the good government, who warned that it is a conflict of interest that could influence the president’s decisions.
Trump said the Boeing 747-8 aircraft would finally be donated to his presidential library-a repository research material of his administration and he had no plans to use them for personal reasons after leaving the office.
“I think it’s a great gesture of Qatar. I really appreciate it. I would never be one who rejected this offer from the Weißen House before he drove to the Middle East.
“I mean, I could be a stupid person who says: ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive plane.'”
The Republican President led the offer for us to defend the countries in the region, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, on his travel route this week.
Trump also said that it was a practical decision that he was disappointed that Boeing took so long to deliver the new aircraft of the Air Force, which he had commissioned as president during his first term.
Probably unconstitutional, critics say
Critics of the offer said it was unethical and probably unconstitutional.
The democratic senators Brian Schatz, Chris Murphy, Cory Booker and Chris Coons said in a statement that Trump’s acceptance of such a gift would cause a clear conflict of interest, raise serious national security issues and invite foreign influence.
MP Joe Courtney from Connecticut, the Senior Democrat in the Seapower and Project Forces, said that it would distract itself from the efforts of the US air weapon to accelerate the delivery of the actual new Air Force One fleet.
The spokeswoman for the White House, Karoline Leavitt, said that the legal details of the donation were still worked out and the Trump government was not worried about what the Qataris could ask for in return.