In his haste to take a plane from Qatar, Donald Trump has done something quite remarkable, bringing together a great many partisans on both sides of America’s acrimonious political divide.
The issue for the White House is that unity is occurring against it.
Not surprisingly, Trump’s critics in the Democratic Party criticized the president after he signaled that he would take a high-end jet from the Qatari royal family.
More significant – and perhaps more concerning for the president – is that some of his most ardent supporters also have grave doubts about the deal, even before it’s been finalized.
Maga influencers have called the action a “bribe”, grift, or instance of the high-level corruption Trump himself has repeatedly vowed to eradicate.
The Qatari royal family is set to donate the plush Boeing 747-8, valued at around $400m (£300m), to the US Department of Defence to use as part of a fleet of aircraft known as Air Force One – the president’s official means of air travel.
The fleet currently consists of two 747-200 planes which have been in service since 1990, and some smaller and somewhat mysterious 757s.
The White House maintains that the new aircraft – potentially years and millions of dollars away from being refitted and upgraded – will be turned over to Trump’s presidential library at the conclusion of his term.
The reaction was swift and intense after the news emerged on Sunday.
“I think the technical term is ‘skeezy’,” joked conservative Daily Wire analyst Ben Shapiro on his podcast.
“Qatar is not supposedly awarding President Trump a $400m jet for the sake of their sweet little hearts,” he told reporters. “They attempt to fill pockets in completely bipartisan fashion.”
He and others referenced claims Qatar has financed terrorism organizations – claims the country has rejected – and labeled Qataris “the world’s largest purveyors of terrorism on a global scale.”
Laura Loomer, the social media conspiracy peddler who incites sackings of White House bigwigs deemed not sufficiently loyal, interrupted her regular stream of pro-Trump messages to condemn the move.
Even though she claimed to still be a supporter of the president, she branded the plane deal “a stain” and circulated a cartoon of the Trojan Horse, re-drawn as an aircraft and full of AK-wielding Islamist extremists.
Trump garnered little enthusiasm for the plan in more establishment outlets, either.
The New York Post, which traditionally can be relied on to support much of the populist Maga agenda, printed a blunt editorial: “Qatar’s ‘Palace in the Sky’ jet is NOT a ‘free gift’ – and Trump shouldn’t accept it as one.”
And Mark Levin, a loyal booster of the president on Fox News and on his radio program, tweeted on X calling Qatar a “terror state” and saying: “Their jet and all of the other things they are purchasing in our country does not give them the cover they desire.”
Trump himself during his first term accused Qatar of sponsoring terror organizations.
When approached by the BBC, the Qatari embassy in Washington referred to an interview Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani provided CNN regarding the plane.
“It is a government-to-government deal. It has nothing to do with personal relations – neither on the US side, nor on the Qatari side. It’s between the two defence ministries,” he said.
“Why would we purchase influence in America?” he went on, claiming Qatar has “always been a trustworthy and valued partner. It’s not a one-way friendship.”
Can Trump accept a $400m luxury aircraft as a gift?
The White House pushed back in response to the criticism of the deal. Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement saying the administration was “committed to full transparency.”.
“Any present from a foreign government is always received in full accordance with all relevant laws,” she stated.
While there has been nothing proffered in return for the plane, numerous commentators indicated that it would be foolish to assume that that Qatari royal family would give away such an enormous object with no strings attached.
“They very clearly recognize that if you bribe Donald Trump with presents, that might pay dividends in the future,” said Doug Heye, a political commentator and former Republican National Committee communications director, in an interview with the BBC. “Flattery takes you a certain place with Donald Trump, and we’ve seen that again and again.”
The US Constitution does have a provision barring officials from receiving “any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”
But the White House has emphasized that, at least initially, the plane is being presented to the US government.
Attorney General Pam Bondi was said to have looked into the deal’s legality and concluded that since there are no clear conditions involved, it would not qualify as a bribe.
Conservatives and others were quick to criticize that Bondi was listed as a lobbyist for Qatar before entering Trump’s cabinet, earning up to $115,0000 (£87,000) a month from lobbying for the Qatari government at some times.
The Trump Organisation also still has ties to Qatar and recently agreed a deal to construct a high-end golf resort in the nation.
At a news conference in the White House on Tuesday the president attacked one reporter who asked him questions over the morality of the deal.
“What do you say to people who see that luxury plane as a personal gift to you?” asked ABC reporter Rachel Scott.
“You should be ashamed of yourself for asking that question,” Trump responded, after resorting to his usual “fake news” insult.
“They’re providing us with a free jet,” the president said. “I could say ‘No, no, no, don’t give us, I’d like to pay you a billion or 400 million’… or I could say ‘thank you very much’.”
Later on Truth Social, the president reposted a number of messages highlighting that the Statue of Liberty was a present from France, and posted late Tuesday: “The Boeing 747 is being presented to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!”
“Only a FOOL would refuse this gift in the name of our Country,” he posted.
But even some members of Trump’s own Republican Party were showing alarm.
“I believe it’s not worth the appearance of impropriety, whether it’s improper or not,” Rand Paul, R-Ky., told Fox News.
“I wonder if our judgment of [Qatar’s] human rights record will be obscured by the fact of this massive gift,” Paul said.
Another Republican senator, Ted Cruz of Texas, said it would have “serious espionage and surveillance issues.”.
Trump did receive some backing from his own party. “Free is good. You know, we don’t have a lot of money right now to buy things like that,” Sen Tommy Tuberville said in an interview with CNN.
Doug Heye, Republican strategist, said that the deal could not damage Trump’s popularity among his base in the long run.
“Trump has been able for years now to make scandals that would otherwise be crippling for other politicians something that we forget,” he said. “He’s very good at that.”