this post was submitted on 12 May 2025
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politics

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Summary

Trump lashed out at bipartisan critics after reports revealed he plans to accept a $400 million Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar for use as Air Force One.

In a Truth Social post, Trump dismissed concerns as “world class losers” complaining about a transparent gift. Qatar stated the plane is under legal review between its Ministry of Defense and the Pentagon.

Critics, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Chris Murphy, and Rep. Jamie Raskin, accused Trump of corruption and violating the Constitution.

Even allies like Laura Loomer led the MAGA pushback to the jet deal.

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[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee 218 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Besides the obvious corruption, it's a national security issue. I'm not an aircraft designer, but I'm pretty sure there's quite a bit of electronics aboard that craft. Pretty easy to slip in a few listening devices.

[–] caffinatedone@lemmy.world 81 points 1 week ago (1 children)

To be fair, the trump crew don't observe any real security anyway, so all of the more competent competent competitors likely already know our secrets.

I mean, assuming that trump doesn't just tweet them out, he'd absolutely sell our secrets for some graft.

[–] Bouzou@lemmy.world 29 points 1 week ago

Or members of his cabinet just accidentally add foreign agents to classified chats...

[–] Dultas@lemmy.world 47 points 1 week ago (6 children)

Not to mention the refit to include all the secure communication equipment Air Force One has. Also ECM, active countermeasures, NBC equipment, refuelling, etc.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 1 points 6 days ago

Air force one is not a plane it's just the cal sign of any air force plane the president is on. Executive one is any commercial plane the president is on.

[–] Damage@feddit.it 22 points 1 week ago

And then remove part of it a year later when it transfers to him

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee 14 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Realistically, it would probably cost more to retrofit a plane than to just build it from scratch.

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[–] Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de 37 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'm sure Qatar sees him saying "yeah, then it'll be mine" and are thinking 'nooo, we wanted all the presidents to use it...'

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 53 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Then you're not up to speed....

January 2029 it transfers to the "trump presidential library" so he can keep using it.

It's not even to "the office" it's a personal gift to trump.

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[–] But_my_mom_says_im_cool@lemmy.world 25 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

That was my first though, that airplane is gonna have a direct line to the government of Qatar

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee 16 points 1 week ago (4 children)

The more you think about it, the stupider the idea is.

Besides the obvious security problems, Air Force 1 is to a regular plane what a Formula One racer is to a regular car. Someone else pointed out things like counter-surveillance measures, refueling, etc etc.

It would be twice as expensive to retrofit it.

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[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] mkhopper@lemmy.world 23 points 1 week ago

But, would that be so bad?

[–] ceenote@lemmy.world 154 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (7 children)

People just aren't considering the arguments in favor of accepting it, such as how cool it would be to receive what might be the biggest bribe in the history of bribery.

[–] IphtashuFitz@lemmy.world 39 points 1 week ago

It likely also has the best always-on one-way communication link to Qatar that money can buy.

[–] ripcord@lemmy.world 39 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

There's sadly been much bigger bribes.

Even within his family.

It's certainly the biggest one a president has openly accepted. By, like, 400 million dollars.

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[–] FistingEnthusiast@lemmynsfw.com 104 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Toddlers don't like hearing the word "no"

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 21 points 1 week ago
[–] PotatoLibre@feddit.it 20 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This can be applied to everything he does, it's the begin end the end of all the issues with that man. His ego. And it's just going worse every day.

[–] FistingEnthusiast@lemmynsfw.com 17 points 1 week ago (2 children)

But millions of stupid people in America think it's him showing strength...

This is why the rest of the world holds America in contempt.

Because it deserves it.

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[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 87 points 1 week ago (1 children)

So trump now owes Qatar a 400 billion dollar favor, it's that simple

(For those not getting it, it's a jab at doge mixing up million and billion)

[–] Phoenicianpirate@lemm.ee 45 points 1 week ago

He absolutely DOES owe them 400 billion now.

To quote Kurt Hansen from Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty. "To make billions, you first need to grease the palms of others with millions".

[–] RedditIsDeddit@lemmy.world 43 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Trump is a insider threat.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 34 points 1 week ago (2 children)

He's losing a lot of support....

One of the joys of living in a red state, is plenty of uninformed people voted for him. A shit ton of them are saying they're not voting again.

But with an actual impartial DNC chair, once we get a candidate (especially if it's a charismatic one who's economically progressive) it's gonna be easy to get them to vote D like with Obama.

But with the dnc's track record, them not voting is the best we can have right now.

[–] monkeyslikebananas2@lemmy.world 36 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Don’t be fooled. They will fall in line again. They will vote for Trump again if they have to. They’ll have to stop [insert boogeyman here].

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[–] Lightor@lemmy.world 33 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] JasonDJ@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 week ago

Don't...care...how...

I want it NOW!

[–] whotookkarl@lemmy.world 32 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

Traitors to the Constitution & rule of law applied universally should get only gifts of a short rope and a long drop

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[–] Etterra@discuss.online 27 points 1 week ago

We all know that he can't stand to the slightest bit of criticism. He's a narcissist, that's part of what narcissists are.

[–] ieatpwns@lemmy.world 25 points 1 week ago

Hear me out… what if this is them doing the us a “favor”

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 25 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That constitution is becoming a real barrier for Trump.

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[–] altphoto@lemmy.today 24 points 1 week ago (10 children)

Wait.... The plane is transparent? Wow! We should accept that sucker like now and figure out how they did it! LOL.

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[–] thedruid@lemmy.world 22 points 1 week ago

Ah. What a guy. Calling his constituents, who he pledged to protect, "losers"

He's the best. Everyone's saying it. Some say he's the best ever.. And, listen, some of the world's best people have said so. He's awesome.

/S

Was that a decent imitation of that orange moron?

[–] Ghyste@sh.itjust.works 14 points 1 week ago

Toddler throws a tantrum.

[–] bitwolf@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

Let him have the plane. Its probably sabotaged anyway.

[–] futatorius@lemm.ee 25 points 1 week ago

Even better, it's a Boeing.

[–] miraclerandy@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (10 children)

I’d guess it would be less dramatic than that. Probably mics and bugs throughout it so they can get some good data on him.

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[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

Why is thedailybeast of all outlets posting a headline that assumes trump is in any way not demented?

Have they ever heard him speak?

[–] sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Didn't Boeing stop making these a few years ago? Like, are Qatar gifting trump a used plane?

[–] ramble81@lemm.ee 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Airplanes usually operate on the order of decades. The 747-8 was made between 2012 and 2023, so it’s still a relatively new plane depending on when it was delivered initially.

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[–] PotatoLibre@feddit.it 11 points 1 week ago

Is surely old but I guess is the setup that makes it worth.

It's probably a plane with a yacht-level expensive interiors

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[–] Yerbouti@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 week ago

Now, just imagine how Putin put him in his pocket.

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