In an era that increasingly tests our democratic values, one event has slipped beneath the headlines—but it shouldn’t have. We are faced with the prospect of a former Qatari royal jet, an ultra-luxurious Boeing 747-8, being outfitted for secure government use with American taxpayer dollars. The plan is for this asset to be eventually housed at a presidential library.
This isn’t some budget line item. It is a fundamental question of what we value as a republic.
A Gift from a Monarchy, a Tool of Power—Now in a Private Foundation’s Reach
This particular aircraft was not purchased through traditional U.S. procurement channels. It was gifted to the U.S. government by the royal family of Qatar—a nation that has regularly courted influence through soft power and personal diplomacy. For any administration to take possession of such a gift and then plan for its transfer to a private entity raises serious questions under the Emoluments Clause, which prohibits U.S. officials from accepting titles or gifts from foreign states without congressional approval.
Yet rather than safeguard the separation between foreign influence and national leadership, the Senate has failed to act. An amendment that would have ensured the plane remains federal property was blocked, a decision that has been criticized for prioritizing political allegiances over constitutional principles.
A Precedent That Must Not Be Set
Never before in the history of our republic has a government sought to transfer a militarized, nuclear-secure aircraft to a private individual. This is not a matter of a simple gift; it is the transfer of a highly strategic and technologically advanced asset. To hand over such an asset, outfitted with top-level American defensive capabilities, to a private individual is not just unprecedented. It sets a dangerous precedent for future administrations.
Lavish Spending While the Nation Struggles
The Qatar jet is not the only example of questionable government indulgence. The current administration has also moved forward with plans for a new White House ballroom, a project that raises questions about priorities in a nation facing pressing challenges.
This spending is happening while:
Bridges collapse in Pennsylvania.
Rural hospitals shutter across Appalachia.
Teachers and nurses work two jobs to afford rent.
Millions remain uninsured or under-treated for basic health needs.
Just the cost of this one plane retrofit—a figure that has been reported to be in the hundreds of millions, if not more—could:
Modernize every lead-contaminated school in the Midwest.
Fund free dental care for 10 million Americans.
Create tens of thousands of jobs through infrastructure repair.
Instead, we are building monuments to power and legacy, not to the people who power this nation.
What Would JFK Say Today?
John F. Kennedy asked us to look inward—to serve our country, not to feed off it. He called us to a higher purpose, to a vision of public service where we ask not what our country can do for us, but what we can do for our country. Today, too many in leadership seem to have flipped that vision on its head. They seem to serve themselves and expect the country to foot the bill.
When an administration is allowed to accept foreign gifts, leverage state spending for personal benefit, and walk away with a jet that could survive a nuclear attack, the American experiment is no longer under threat. It is being slowly eroded from within.
We Must Speak Now—Or Regret Later
This is no longer about red vs. blue. It is about the Constitution versus the corrosion of our democratic norms. It is about whether the United States is a nation of laws—or just another empire sliding into spectacle.
If we stay silent, we allow future administrations—of any party—to normalize the abuse of power and the hoarding of national resources. And in doing so, we betray everything our flag is supposed to represent.
Call your senators. Call the press. Write. Vote. Organize. Protest. Because this isn’t just a luxury jet.
It is a test of whether we still care about the principles that founded this nation.
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