Why Trump's pocketing an entire Boeing 747-8 from Qatar is deeply problematic

It would be "stupid", said Donald Trump, to reject a luxury Boeing 747-8 offered as a gift by Qatar. As US President, rejecting the "gift" would be the smartest thing to do. That's because Qatar, ruled by a family, is no friend of the US or its allies, and its actions have forever been viewed with suspicion, even by countries in the Middle East. Most terrorist organisations operating in the Middle East are somehow linked to Qatar.

Qatar's $400-million gift is being seen as daylight bribery. This aircraft will be available to be used by Trump as the new Air Force One until before he leaves office, when ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation. In other words, it will be his personal property.

While heads of state seldom accept precious gifts, with some, like Imran Khan, even doing jail time for keeping watches, Trump has pocketed an entire aeroplane.

He has come for massive criticism at home, but Trump isn't just without a filter, he filters most things out. Thanks to being a thick-skinned businessman in his earlier avatar.

Beyond questions of ethics and morality lies the real scare. Qatar is a tiny state that punches above its weight, and functions in the shadows. Qatar plays a double game for global power.

The first scare is that of security. The plane, obviously, will have to be strip-searched for any wire that could help the Qataris eavesdrop. Not that other aircraft being converted into Air Force One aren't. But this comes from Qatar, which can't match China in size but in guile.

Then there is the question of quid-pro-quo. A question that must bother any right-minded American diplomat and major US ally. What will Qatar be seeking from Trump for the mile-high gift?

Qatar wasn't in the good books of Trump 1.0.

"The nation of Qatar has historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level," Trump said, speaking from the Rose Garden, according to a June 2017 CNN report.

HOW QATAR HAS SPONSORED TERRORIST OUTFITS AGAINST US ALLY ISRAEL

Since 2012, Qatar has provided over $1.3 billion in aid to Gaza.

While Qatar insists this aid is humanitarian, critics argue it indirectly strengthens Hamas, the terror group responsible for the October 7 attacks against Israel, which killed over 1,000 people. Hamas is a designated a terrorist organisation by the US, EU, and Israel.

Qatar has hosted senior Hamas leaders like Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Meshal, providing a political base that critics say lends legitimacy and a safe space for coordination.

Israel has accused Qatar of supporting Hamas's terror infrastructure, including funding weapons and training.

Some reports reveal Qatar's support for Hamas goes long back in time.

In 2007, Qatar and Turkey were the only countries to back Hamas after it ousted the Palestinian Authority from Gaza, according to a report by the Associated Press. The Hamas-Qatar relationship deepened in 2008–09 when Meshaal attended the Doha Summit and Emir Hamad bin Khalifa pledged $250 million for post-war reconstruction.

Following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel and the resulting Gaza war, Qatar played a key mediating role, brokering a ceasefire in November 2023 that secured the release of around 100 Israeli hostages.

Now, one would be naive to believe that Qatar was the good guy here. Because such double games are what Qatar has been playing, and using its media outlet, Al Jazeera, to project itself as the peacenik.

HOW QATAR GIVES SAUDI ARABIA AND UAE THE JITTERS BY FUNDING MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD

It's not just Jewish Israel, even Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), two Arab countries, have been victims of Qatari terror-financing.

Qatar's support for the Muslim Brotherhood has been a significant source of tension with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which view the Brotherhood as a source of tension with a history of violence. This ideological divide intensified following the Arab Spring, leading to regional rivalries and diplomatic crises.

Qatar has provided political, financial, and media support to the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates across the Middle East.

Additionally, Qatar's state-funded media outlet, Al Jazeera, has been accused of promoting the Brotherhood's narratives, further amplifying their influence.

Qatar's backing of the Brotherhood is part of its broader strategy to project influence through support for Islamist movements, positioning itself as a patron of political Islam in contrast to the more secular approaches of its neighbours.

In stark contrast, Saudi Arabia and the UAE perceive the Muslim Brotherhood as a destabilising force.

They had accused Qatar of, among other things, supporting terrorist groups and being too close to Iran, allegations Qatar has always denied.

In 2017, Saudia Arabia and its Arab allies issued a list of demands, which included that Doha end its alleged support for the Muslim Brotherhood, close Al Jazeera Media Network, downgrade diplomatic ties with Iran, and shut down a Turkish military base in Qatar.

The blockade aimed to pressure Qatar into aligning its policies with its neighbours, demanding, among other things, the cessation of support for the Brotherhood. However, Qatar denied the allegations and maintained its independent foreign policy stance.

This blockade came to an end only in 2021. The Washington Post, citing a person with knowledge of the agreement, reported that Saudi Arabia and its allies dropped the list of 13 demands it had made to Qatar in 2021.

Though ties were later restored, underlying tensions persist, particularly regarding Qatar's relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood. While Qatar has taken steps to distance itself from overt support, its historical ties have remained a bone of contention.

AMERICANS CALL GIFT $400-MILLION BRIBE BY QATAR

The $400-million gift by Qatar to Trump, which is expected to be donated to his presidential library after he demits office, has sparked bipartisan concern. Trump confirmed the Boeing 747-8 would serve as the temporary Air Force One.

US Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, stated that the gift would face intense scrutiny. "There are many complex issues involved here that are bound to raise serious questions," he said.

US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee and has previously criticised Qatar’s policies, told CNBC he was troubled by the potential national security risks.

"This aircraft presents serious espionage and surveillance concerns. We'll have to see how this develops," Cruz remarked.

Opposition is also coming up from some independent voices in the Republican Party.

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, known for his independent stance within the Republican Party, warned against accepting the plane. "It's not worth the perception of corruption," he said during an interview on Fox News. "I would advise against it."

Even among Trump’s supporters, the idea has sparked pushback. Far-right activist Laura Loomer said that accepting the jet would tarnish Trump's legacy, calling it a potential "stain" on his administration.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an Independent, was blunt in his opposition. Writing on X, he said, "Let me be clear: Donald Trump cannot accept a $400 million luxury jet from the Qatari royal family. It's not only absurdly corrupt — it’s clearly unconstitutional. Congress must stop this display of kleptocracy."

Trump has, habitually, sprung surprises at the world, and his pocketing a $400-million Boeing 747-8 is one of them. However, this gift from Qatar poses security risks and questions on how favours might be returned.