Trump acceptance of Qatar private jet spurs investigation by House Democrats
House Democrats are launching an investigation into President Donald Trump and his administration’s acceptance of a $400 million private jet from the Qatari government. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, along with his fellow Democrats on the panel, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington on Thursday.
The Democrats are specifically requesting Bondi to provide a legal memo she reportedly wrote to assert the legality of Trump accepting the plane on behalf of the U.S. The letter cites the Foreign Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits the President from accepting any emolument from a foreign state without the consent of Congress.
The letter accuses Trump or individuals in his circle of soliciting a bribe from Qatar, pointing to Trump’s comments expressing displeasure with delays in the delivery of his new Boeing aircraft to serve as Air Force One. The Democrats raised concerns that the plane, which Trump said would be donated to his presidential library after his term concludes, may have been intended as a bribe.
Reports indicate that Bondi and Warrington drafted a legal memo stating that it was legally permissible for Trump to accept the plane and transfer it to his presidential library. However, the Democrats argue that the memo does not provide sufficient grounds for Trump to bypass Congress on the issue, especially considering Bondi’s prior lobbying on Qatar’s behalf.
The Democrats also highlighted Bondi’s conflict of interest due to her previous work as an official agent of the Qatari government. The letter emphasizes that Congress, not the Attorney General or the White House Counsel, has the exclusive authority to approve or reject gifts from foreign governments to the President.
While the House Judiciary Committee Democrats have limited power to compel compliance from the Trump administration, Raskin has been investigating Trump’s foreign ties since his first term. The latest inquiry comes as Trump visits the Middle East, including a stop in Qatar.
Trump has defended his acceptance of the plane, arguing that it would be foolish not to take it. He has criticized Democrats for their scrutiny, calling them “world-class losers.” Senate Republicans have expressed little knowledge of the situation, while Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., deferred to the administration for details.
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter. Elizabeth Elkind, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, is leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Follow her on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com.
