Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced skepticism Wednesday, May 14, about Qatar’s $400 million aircraft gift to President Donald Trump, joining a growing chorus of critics questioning the unprecedented arrangement.
“No one gives someone a $400 million dollar jet for free without expecting anything in return. Be serious,” Clinton wrote on X.
The controversial gift has emerged as the subject of intense debate in Washington as President Trump visited the Middle East this week. The Boeing 747-8 aircraft, described by some as a “palace in the sky,” would be transferred to the Pentagon for use as a temporary Air Force One and eventually donated to Trump’s presidential library after his term ends.
The arrangement has sparked concerns from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle regarding potential ethical issues, constitutional questions, and security risks. Several Republican senators, including Ted Cruz of Texas and John Thune of South Dakota, have expressed reservations about the gift from the Qatari royal family, with Cruz specifically noting the plane “poses significant espionage and surveillance problems.”
President Trump has firmly defended the arrangement, stating during his Middle East trip that refusing such a gift would be foolish. “I could be a stupid person and say, ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane,’ but I thought it was a great gesture,” Trump told reporters on Monday, May 12.
Trump has expressed frustration about delays in the delivery of upgraded Air Force One jets from Boeing, originally contracted during his first term for delivery in 2024 but now reportedly delayed until 2027. The current presidential aircraft is around 40 years old.
The White House maintains that the gift, potentially worth between $250 million and $400 million, would be made to the Department of Defense rather than to Trump personally. Administration officials have stated that the arrangement is being conducted with full transparency and in compliance with applicable laws.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has dismissed accusations that his country is attempting to buy influence with the Trump administration. During a Fox News interview with Bret Baier on Wednesday, Al Thani characterized the controversy as overblown and politically motivated.
Al Thani rejected suggestions that Qatar expected political favors, stating that the arrangement was simply a “government-to-government dealing” and part of ongoing cooperation between the two nations, according to reports of the interview.
Ethics experts have raised significant concerns about the unprecedented nature of the gift. Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School, called the situation a “textbook case of a violation of the Emoluments Clause” of the Constitution, which prohibits U.S. officials from accepting gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval.
The watchdog organization Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has been particularly vocal about the ethical concerns, with their communications vice president Jordan Libowitz noting that the gift is “especially concerning because of Trump’s personal business dealings in the Gulf and in Qatar specifically.”
Security experts have also questioned the feasibility of using the Qatari aircraft as Air Force One, pointing out that extensive modifications would be necessary to meet the stringent security requirements for presidential transport. These upgrades would likely cost hundreds of millions of additional dollars and could take up to two years to complete, according to current and former officials familiar with the requirements.
Democratic lawmakers have been especially critical of the arrangement. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has vowed to block all of Trump’s Justice Department nominees until the agency provides more information about the Qatari offer.
House Democrats, led by Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, have launched an investigation into the acceptance of the aircraft, with some Democrats suggesting the arrangement potentially violates the Constitution’s ban on receiving gifts from foreign governments.
The controversy comes amid Trump’s Middle East tour, which has already yielded significant deals, including Qatar Airways‘ agreement to purchase up to 210 American-made Boeing aircraft in a deal valued at $96 billion.
The relationship between the U.S. and Qatar has evolved significantly since Trump’s first term, when he had accused the Gulf nation of funding terrorism. Qatar hosts a major U.S. military base and has been designated a major non-NATO ally.
Legal experts remain divided on whether the arrangement violates constitutional prohibitions. Some argue that because the plane would be gifted to the Defense Department rather than to Trump personally, it may be legally permissible. Others contend that the eventual transfer to Trump’s presidential library makes the arrangement constitutionally problematic.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, who previously worked as a registered lobbyist for Qatar, reportedly approved a Justice Department memo endorsing the legality of the arrangement, raising additional concerns about potential conflicts of interest in the approval process.
