Schumer is vowing to hold up Justice Department nominees for answers
about luxury plane from Qatar
[May 14, 2025]
By MARY CLARE JALONICK
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday
that he will hold up all Justice Department nominations on the Senate
floor until he gets more answers about the free Air Force One
replacement that President Donald Trump says would be donated by Qatar.
Trump said this week that he wants to accept the $400 million plane, and
that it would later be donated to a presidential library. White House
press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Monday that the
details of the donation are still being worked out.
The plan, Schumer said, “is not just naked corruption, it is also a
grave national security threat.”
Schumer said he wants answers from Attorney General Pam Bondi and the
Trump administration about whether it is investigating activities inside
the United States by Qatari foreign agents that could benefit Trump or
his business. He also wants to know if Qatar will be responsible for
adding security measures to the plane and how it will be built and paid
for.
“The Attorney General must testify before both the House and Senate to
explain why gifting Donald Trump a private jet does not violate the
emoluments clause — which requires congressional approval — or any other
ethics laws,” Schumer said.
The Constitution prohibits federal officials from accepting things of
value, or “emoluments,” from foreign governments without congressional
approval.
In a post on his social media site on Tuesday night, Trump said the
plane “is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of
Defense, NOT TO ME! It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have
successfully defended for many years.”
Democrats have expressed uniform outrage about the potential foreign
gift and many Republicans are uneasy about the plan, as well. Returning
to Washington on Monday evening, senators in both parties questioned how
the deal would work and stressed the importance of following federal
laws that govern how a U.S. president can accept gifts from foreign
countries.
“We need to look at the constitutionality of it,” said Sen. Shelley
Moore Capito, R-W.Va., who said she’d be concerned about possible spying
devices installed on the plane. Republican Sen. James Lankford of
Oklahoma said that Trump had said he would follow the law, and “that’s
the right answer.”
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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer D-N.Y., speaks during "Hands
Off Social Security " rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday,
May 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky said Trump shouldn’t accept the
jet. “I don’t think it looks good or smells good,” Paul said. Sen. Josh
Hawley, R-Mo., said he’d prefer “a big, beautiful jet made in the United
States of America.”
On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., declined to
give a direct opinion on the possible deal, but said that if it happens,
“I can assure you there will be plenty of scrutiny.”
Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma defended the idea. “Why
would we care if another country wanted to give the United States a
gift?” he asked.
In an excerpt of an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity airing Tuesday
night, Trump also questioned the criticism. “My attitude is, why
wouldn’t I accept a gift?” Trump said. He said the United States “should
have the most impressive plane.”
Schumer’s holds mean that the Senate can’t quickly confirm any of
Trump’s Justice Department nominees. Many lower-level nominations, such
as U.S. attorneys, are often approved in groups by voice vote.
Democratic Sens. Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Richard Blumenthal of Hawaii
went to the Senate floor Tuesday afternoon and tried to force a vote on
a resolution disapproving of the Qatari gift. But it was blocked by
Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who said Democrats are “losing their mind
over the situation” and the gift is not a done deal. If the Qatari
government does donate the plane, “the only thing we should say is thank
you,” Tuberville said.
Schatz said that “it really should go without saying, but no president
should be accepting a $400 million gift from a foreign country. It is
gross, it is reckless, it is corrupt, and the outrage and condemnation
especially on the Republican side should be universal.”
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Associated Press writers Matt Brown, Leah Askarinam and Chris Megerian
contributed to this report.
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