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Will Trump's luxury jet from Qatar sway his decisions? What Americans say in poll

Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald on

Published in News & Features

Many Americans have concerns about President Donald Trump accepting a luxury jet from Qatar — and believe the gift could sway his decisions when it comes to the Gulf country, according to new polling.

In early May, it was reported that the Trump administration was planning to accept a $400 million Boeing 747 from Qatar to temporarily use as Air Force One. After he leaves office, the jet will be donated to Trump’s presidential library.

Trump — who visited Qatar on Wednesday as part of a Middle East tour — has confirmed the deal, telling reporters, “I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer,” according to The Associated Press.

The reaction from the public has not been positive. In a Monday YouGov poll, a plurality of respondents, 47%, said it is unacceptable for the government to accept the plane. Meanwhile, 30% called it acceptable, and 23% said they were not sure.

Unsurprisingly, the responses were divided along partisan lines, with 75% of Democrats against the deal and 58% of Republicans in favor. A plurality of independents, 48%, were against it.

Further, a majority of respondents, 52%, said that receiving the jet from Qatar will influence Trump’s decisions concerning the small Middle Eastern nation.

A much smaller share, 25%, said the gift will not factor into the president’s decision-making, and 23% said they were not sure.

Here, again, the answers broke along partisan lines. More than three-quarters of Democrats, 77%, and 50% of independents said the president’s judgment will be affected — while a plurality of Republicans, 42%, said it would not.

The poll — which sampled 3,612 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of 2 percentage points — also found that 45% of respondents believe Trump’s personal wealth has increased since taking office. Twenty-two percent said it has stayed the same and 12% said it has decreased.

 

Trump has repeatedly defended the deal, writing on social media that the plane “is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!”

“Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE from a country that wants to reward us for a job well done,” he added.

He also clarified that he will not use the plane for transportation after leaving the White House, according to The Associated Press. Instead, like in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, it will permanently be displayed as a museum piece.

However, critics say the deal smacks of corruption and likely violates the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, which bars federal officeholders from accepting gifts without the consent of Congress, according to NPR.

“This is a bribe and a national security betrayal,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, wrote on X. “His shameless self-enrichment is without equal in American history.”

Some Republicans, too — including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Rand Paul — have expressed concerns about the deal, stressing that it poses an espionage risk.

Thune told reporters there are “ lots of issues associated with that offer which I think need to be further talked about,” according to Politico.

Putting it more bluntly, GOP Sen. John Kennedy told Fox News, “I trust Qatar like I trust a rest stop bathroom ...”


©2025 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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