Schumer Introducing Bill Banning Foreign Planes As Air Force One After Qatar Reportedly Offers Jet To Trump

1 month ago 3

Topline

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday he will introduce a bill that would “prohibit any foreign aircraft from being used as Air Force One,” targeting the $400 million luxury plane President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to accept and use as Air Force One from Qatar.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) departs from the Senate Chambers in the U.S. Capitol ... More Building on March 14, 2024 in Washington, DC.

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Key Facts

Schumer said in a post on X on Monday the bill he plans will also prohibit the Department of Defense “from using funds to procure or modify foreign aircraft for presidential flights.”

“Retrofitting the Qatari plane would cost billions and could never even truly eliminate all catastrophic risks,” Schumer said in the post.

News of Schumer’s bill comes about a week after reports began circulating that Trump is planning to accept a luxury plane from Qatar that he will retrofit and use as Air Force One until he leaves office, at which point it would be donated to his presidential library.

Reuters reported the bill is titled the “Presidential Airlift Security Act,” and Forbes reached out to Schumer’s office for more information.

Key Background

Reports of Trump accepting the plane almost immediately drew bipartisan criticism last week, with some Republicans even expressing concern. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said on Fox News the gift could “cloud” the U.S.’ ability to judge Qatar’s human rights record and said it’s “not worth the appearance of impropriety, whether it’s improper or not.” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told NBC the gift is “rife with legal, ethical and practical impediments, including the potential for espionage.” During Trump’s visit to the Middle East, including Qatar, last week, the Democratic National Committee flew a banner above Mar-a-Lago that read “Qatar-A-Lago.” The plane—a Boeing 747-8 that’s estimated to be worth about $400 million and could be the largest foreign gift to the federal government in history—has not been formally offered, but Trump has insisted it would be a gift to the Defense Department and not him personally and that he would not use it after leaving office. “Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country,” Trump said of the gift on Truth Social. Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House was working out legal details and “any donation to this government is done in full compliance with the law and we commit ourselves to the utmost transparency.”

What To Watch For

The bill appears highly unlikely to pass Congress, as Republicans control both the House and Senate, meaning passage would require a GOP revolt against Trump that would be unprecedented since his return to the presidency.

Big Number

62%. That’s how many respondents in a Harvard Center for American Political Studies/Harris poll released Monday thought Trump accepting the luxury plane from Qatar “raises ethical concerns about corruption.” More Democrats took issue with the gift—85% felt it raised concerns—but still 62% of independents and 40% of Republicans also reported concerns. The poll was conducted on May 14 and May 15 among 1,903 registered voters and had a margin of error of +/- 2.2 points.

Tangent

When Trump was in the Middle East last week, Qatar Airways announced it will buy 210 jets from Boeing, which makes the plane Trump is poised to accept.