The Qatari jet was too good to resist for Trump.
The issue is too good to resist for Democrats.
Watch out, Democrats. This is a trap.
First, let's start with the obvious: Donald Trump is enthralled by the Qatari jet. It is what he loves. Gold colors on the wall, gold fixtures, sparkly lighting. The jet has the sumptuous oriental sultan look. It is how he outfitted his apartment in Trump Tower, what he did decorating the Trump Taj Mahal casino, and it has the look of his personal spaces at Mar-a-Lago. Lots of gold. Of course Trump could not resist.
And it was a deal -- better yet. It is a thank-you gift! He wrote: "Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country."
Trump is surrounded by enablers and yes-people, so he did not get warned off of this. His attorney general, Pam Bondi -- formerly a paid lobbyist for Qatar -- compliantly gave Trump legal cover. Trump did what Trump does: sell it by positioning himself as powerful, smart, and doing good for America, and position Democrats as stupid and crooked.
But fellow Republicans aren't blind. Senators Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham are publicly throwing shade on the deal. So is The Wall Street Journal -- now a reliable voice of constraint on Trump -- but so is the New York Post, the Murdochs' downscale MAGA cheerleading outlet.
Trump has the salesman's gift of knowing when a product is so bad that even a master sales pitch won't work. He sells, then responds to customer cues. Remember: He tried selling Trump Steaks. What is important to notice is that he stopped when customers wouldn't buy them. His "Liberation Day" tariffs scared the bond and currency markets, so he called for a pause. Same with the stock market, now rebounding as Trump backs off his tariff plans. Trump responds to market cues.
Trump will reverse himself on the jet, possibly today, but more likely, I suspect, after he lets Democrats overplay what they see as a too-good-to-miss opportunity. The palatial jet issue is as irresistible to Democrats as the jet itself was to Trump. Democrats see that it reveals Trump as a sucker for the baubles of the obscenely rich. It contradicts the Trump brand by showing him to be dependent on the charity and gift-giving of wealthy patrons, and therefore weak, not strong. Trump looks like the kept woman. Melania, not Donald. And Qatar is a problem. Qatar is not a friend. They are supporters of Hamas and other terrorist groups. This is not "free." They want something.
The grift of this jet is tiny compared with the multi-billion-dollar grift of Trump's crypto meme coin. That is a pay-to-play opportunity to send tens, maybe hundreds, of billions of dollars to Trump. That one has a fig leaf of deniability. Wealthy individuals, businesses, and foreign countries are making investments in crypto money Trump invented from thin air. Investments, not bribes. Wink-wink. All perfectly legal.
The jet is a shiny distraction. Democrats will rush to condemn it and make a big show. Then Trump -- as with Trump Steaks and abortion bans and China tariffs -- will say "nevermind." That will position Trump as Mr. Clean, Mr. Self-Sacrifice, the president who didn't do the smart, good-deal thing because crooked Democrats complained. Democrats will be left holding an empty bag.
Trump has been selling the idea of his personal sacrifice since 2015 and he is still at it, with this posted on Truth Social yesterday.
Trump will let the Qatari jet opportunity drop. He will suffer along in the current Air Force One.
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4 comments:
I wouldn't be surprised if Trump asks Qatar to take back the jet and just put the money in his Swiss bank account.
If Qatar gave the airplane directly to the American government, then this deal would not be so objectionable. However, in 4 years it's supposed to be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library, and that constitutes a bribe that enriches Trump. If Trump is a Billionaire, as he claims, then why does he constantly attempt to enrich himself while in office? How much money does he need?
Air Force One is not merely a means of transportation; it is a flying hardened command center which is capable of defending itself, and from which the president can wage and command a nuclear war. The Qatar jet is a luxury creampuff that could never fill that role without being totally rebuilt.
Donald Trump can accept the Qatar jet on behalf of the Trump Library. Then after his presidency, he can use it as much as he wants, since he will no longer be the Commander in Chief
In other words, it's for his personal use, i.e. a bribe.
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