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By Sonam Sheth
Evening Politics Editor
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York issued an ultimatum to President Donald Trump on Tuesday, pledging to hold up all Department of Justice nominees in the Senate until he gets more information about a $400 million luxury jet the Qatari royal family is giving to the U.S., and later, to Trump.
Why It Matters
The president has drawn backlash over his acceptance of the plane—described as a "palace in the sky"—which Qatari and White House officials have said is being gifted without any strings attached.
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The plane will first be given to the Pentagon and be used as an updated Air Force One. It will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation for Trump's personal use after he leaves office.
Democratic lawmakers, ethics experts and even some Republicans are sounding the alarm over the gift, saying it poses a serious national security threat and raises questions about what, if anything, the Qataris might expect in return.
The U.S. considers Qatar an ally, but the Middle Eastern nation is also allied with U.S. adversaries including Iran and China. The Qatari government has also been accused of funding the militant group Hamas, which the State Department has designated as a foreign terrorist group.
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What To Know
Schumer, the highest-ranking Democrat in the Senate, said Trump's acceptance of the jet "is not just naked corruption, it is also a grave national security threat."
Schumer added that he wants answers from Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi about whether the Trump administration is investigating if Qatari foreign agents in the U.S. are taking steps that could benefit Trump or his businesses.
Schumer also said he wants to know if Qatar will be responsible for outfitting the luxury jet with security measures, as well as how it will be built and financed.
"The attorney general must testify before both the House and Senate to explain why gifting Donald Trump a private jet does not violate the Emoluments Clause—which requires congressional approval—or any other ethics laws," Schumer said Tuesday.
The Emoluments Clause of the Constitution bars people who hold federal office from accepting gifts from foreign entities without Congress' approval.
Schumer's pledge to hold up all DOJ nominees on the Senate floor until he gets more answers means the president's picks cannot be quickly confirmed. Many U.S. attorney nominees are also approved in groups by a voice vote.
"Senator Schumer and his anti-law-and-order party are prioritizing politics over critical DOJ appointments, obstructing President Trump's Make America Great Again agenda," Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, told Newsweek in a statement. Schumer "must end the antics, stop Senate stonewalling, and prioritize the safety and civil rights of Americans."
Bondi and other DOJ officials determined that the Trump administration's acceptance of the luxury jet from Qatar does not amount to bribery because it is first being given to the Pentagon, ABC News reported over the weekend.
Trump said on Monday that he plans to accept the plane and lashed out at a reporter who asked him about the optics of accepting such a lavish gift from a foreign government with known ties to U.S. adversaries.
What People Are Saying
Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware criticized Trump over his acceptance of the jet, writing on X, formerly Twitter: "The Trojan Horse was a gift, too."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News this week: "The Qatari government has graciously offered to donate a plane to the Department of Defense, the legal details of that are still being worked out."
She added in a statement: "Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws. President Trump's administration is committed to full transparency."
Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur and one of Trump's fiercest defenders, broke with the president over the plane, writing on X: "I love President Trump. I would take a bullet for him. But, I have to call a spade a spade. We cannot accept a $400 million 'gift' from jihadists in suits ... This is really going to be such a stain on the admin if this is true. And I say that as someone who would take a bullet for Trump. I'm so disappointed."
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina told reporters on Monday: "Air Force One is the symbol of America. When it lands or flies, it is America flying or landing, and I want to make sure this whole thing is kosher. Time will tell."
Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida told The Hill of the Qataris: "They support Hamas. I don't know how you would make it safe."
President Donald Trump defended his acceptance of the jet on Truth Social: "So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA."
What Happens Next
Trump is embarking on the first major foreign trip of his second term this week and one of his stops includes Qatar. Officials in the Qatari government have said the luxury jet will not be gifted to Trump during his visit.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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