President Trump angrily brushed off ethical concerns about accepting a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar to be used as a new Air Force One, saying only someone “stupid” would turn down such an offer.
“I think it’s a great gesture from Qatar. I appreciate it very much,” Mr. Trump said. “I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person say, ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.’ But it was — I thought it was a great gesture.”
Qatari officials say the plan for Mr. Trump to accept the plane for use as Air Force One while he’s in office is not finalized. Some senior U.S. officials, however, have openly described it as an eventuality, one signed off on by the White House counsel and the attorney general, Pam Bondi. Mr. Trump has repeatedly complained of delays and cost overruns in a contract with Boeing for two new presidential jets.
But on Monday Mr. Trump said when the Qatari plane is decommissioned from military use and is turned over to his library at the end of his term that he won’t continue flying in it.
He grew angry at the questions of an ethical quagmire, including whether Qatar expected anything in exchange for the donation, which he said would be to the Defense Department and not to him personally. Democrats and government watchdogs have suggested the donation would violate the emoluments clause of the Constitution, and create an incentive structure for Mr. Trump regarding Qatar.
“You should be embarrassed asking that question,” Mr. Trump told an ABC News reporter who pressed him on the issue. “They’re giving us a free jet. I could say, ‘No, no, no, don’t give us. I want to pay you a billion or $400 million, or whatever it is.’ Or I could say, ‘Thank you very much.’”
He then invoked a golf analogy about accepting a free putt during a round, suggesting that following rules when one doesn’t have to is foolish.
Maggie Haberman is a White House correspondent for The Times, reporting on President Trump.
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