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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[–] [email protected] 218 points 1 month 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.

[–] [email protected] 82 points 1 month 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.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 month ago

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

[–] [email protected] 47 points 1 month 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.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 month ago

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

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago (2 children)

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

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[–] [email protected] 37 points 1 month 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...'

[–] [email protected] 53 points 1 month 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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[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month 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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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 month ago

But, would that be so bad?

[–] [email protected] 154 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month 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.

[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 month ago

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

[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month 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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[–] [email protected] 104 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Toddlers don't like hearing the word "no"

[–] [email protected] 21 points 1 month ago
[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 month 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.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 month 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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[–] [email protected] 87 points 1 month 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)

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 month 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".

[–] [email protected] 43 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Trump is a insider threat.

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 1 month ago

Alternative headline: "Spoiled child throws tantrum when told No."

[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 month 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.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 1 month 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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[–] [email protected] 34 points 1 month ago (5 children)

So....is anyone not thinking that the plane is absolutely chock full of spying devices? I mean sure Trump is too stupid to think of it as anything other than a tribute to his greatness but is there a single sane person there?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 month ago (2 children)

No need for spying devices, he's for sale they can just buy the info they need.

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Oh, this jet is going to have more bugs than a rainforest. It will be hilarious and compromising.

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[–] [email protected] 33 points 1 month ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month 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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[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 month 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.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 month ago

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

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 month ago (1 children)

That constitution is becoming a real barrier for Trump.

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[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 month 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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[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 month 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?

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 month ago

One man's beautiful gift is almost everyone else's blatant corruption.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month ago (2 children)

First of all, he is not "losing his mind". You cannot lose what you already lost decades ago.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago

Corrupt piece of shit.

[–] Ghyste 14 points 1 month ago

Toddler throws a tantrum.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago

He ain't got no mind to lose.

[–] bitwolf 12 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Let him have the plane. Its probably sabotaged anyway.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month 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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