Patterico's Pontifications

5/13/2025

De Plane! De Plane!

Filed under: General — Dana @ 8:36 am



[guest post by Dana]

No, no, no! Just because Pam-I-used-to-work-for-Qatar-Bondi says it’s legal, does not make it so. After all, she is not Congress, nor a member thereof. . .

Article I, Section 9, Clause 8:

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.[3]

Anyway, given Rep. Mike Rounds take on the matter and the fact that only a handful of congressional Republicans have been vocal about accepting the plane as a gift (while not pointing out that it would be unconstitutional, except for Sen. Susan Collins), Trump is likely to get his plane. And once again, Trump, who views the Constitution as an annoying old document that prevents him from reaching his (imagined) true power, be damned.

It looks like more Republicans members of Congress are voicing their concerns about the luxury gift. Good!

—Dana

26 Responses to “De Plane! De Plane!”

  1. Hello.

    Dana (d2d210) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:36 am

  2. If Congress gives its consent then it is legal.

    Nate (5fc2a9) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:39 am

  3. So I’ve read that the plan will stay in government service until it’s no longer needed / useful (e.g. the Boeing planes are available) and then be transferred to the Trump Library.

    I want to know more about this, will it be a display at the Trump library or will it still be a functional jet?
    What’s the plan for when that will happen?
    Why do we need to do this instead of just using the jets that are currently in service?

    Time (0855bb) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:40 am

  4. If Pam Bondi said that , I checked and it is okay if Trump runs for a third term, would that make it a-okay? Would no one on Congress object (other than democrats)? All one has to do is imagine if Biden were the president and Qatar offered him the plane and he was all about it. Republicans wouldn’t stop screaming in protest. And rightfully so.

    Dana (fc74e9) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:42 am

  5. Why do we need to do this instead of just using the jets that are currently in service?

    Not luxurious enough for His Majesty.

    Dave (4db0e4) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:44 am

  6. Trump has said that he would not use it when it’s at the library. But if the Constitution and Congress aren’t enough to stop him from accepting it now, who/what is going to stop him from using it then?

    Dana (fc74e9) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:46 am

  7. There is almost no support for this. Even the usual suckups are slamming it. Josh Hawley, Rick Scott, Laura Loomer all speak against. As do Mark Levin, Ben Shapiro, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Kevin McCarthy.

    Other Republicans are dodging the issue, not wanting to support the toxic plan, but not wanting to piss off Trump more than necessary.

    Kevin M (4a2b82) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:49 am

  8. Why do we need to do this instead of just using the jets that are currently in service?

    Why can’t Boeing build a damn aircraft?

    Kevin M (4a2b82) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:50 am

  9. Why do we need to do this instead of just using the jets that are currently in service?

    Only Qatar has a “Louis XXVII” version available.

    Kevin M (4a2b82) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:52 am

  10. Should not accept the “gift.” They are a terrorist state. Even if they weren’t, the gift sends the wrong message. It definitely should not be transferred at the end of Trump’s term of office.

    On the bright side, it’s Trump admitting that his term of office will end. That should give the rest of you hope and walk you back off the ledge.

    What the heck is going on with Boeing? Do they know how to build a plane anymore?

    NJRob (eb56c3) — 5/13/2025 @ 8:53 am

  11. Dang, Rob, you and I are in 100% agreement! Rare times.

    I agreed with every point you made there.

    Nate (5fc2a9) — 5/13/2025 @ 9:17 am

  12. All over the world, apples with razor blades in them are turning green with envy.

    nk (bb1548) — 5/13/2025 @ 9:26 am

  13. Somebody will shake some sense into him.

    nk (bb1548) — 5/13/2025 @ 9:30 am

  14. Rob’s been making uncommonly good sense lately. I also agree with most of what he said.

    Time (0855bb) — 5/13/2025 @ 10:08 am

  15. On the bright side, it’s Trump admitting that his term of office will end.

    He says that now, but……..

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 5/13/2025 @ 10:48 am

  16. I was shocked to find out that… this isn’t really all that unusual.

    Being used by POTUS as AirForce ONE, is unusual, but there are planes in Air Force’s fleet that we bought from or were given by other nations in the past. In fact, I think AirForce TWO was previously owned by another country (what country, escapes me at the moment…I want to say form Turkey??).

    This was originally framed that after Trump presidency, they he’d keep that plan? But, that doesn’t seem like the case.

    It seems like, this plane will be in service until the new Boeing planes are ready, and this one will go into Trump Presidential library.

    Still…very icky and Trump admin flubbed this pretty badly.

    whembly (54bccf) — 5/13/2025 @ 11:56 am

  17. I’ve added a new, encouraging link to the post.

    Dana (1ae265) — 5/13/2025 @ 12:34 pm

  18. The art of the bad deal.

    Appalled (4bce52) — 5/13/2025 @ 1:26 pm

  19. Why can’t Boeing build a damn aircraft?

    Boeing has built the damn aircraft, all of them. Boeing, and the Air Force (under sH btw), are using planes that have been sitting unused, 2 of them, and they are actively being outfitted now.

    This doesn’t change anything. If sH wants to use this plane, then they’d start where the other two were…in 2017.

    The aircraft itself was never the problem.

    Why does Qatar want to dump it? That’s easy, 2 birds, 1 stone. This plane was massively expensive, but also not that useful for what the royals wanted, security and convenience, you get one, but a 747 is a pain in the arse to logistically support, and it’s old enough that it needed refit for hundreds of millions, so why not just get the use out of it that you have had, bribe sH to keep you on the top of the heap of Gulf(golf?) buddies.

    It’s a win, win.

    Colonel Klink (ret) (9dbb75) — 5/13/2025 @ 1:59 pm

  20. You can complain, a lot, about government contracting, but this plane would still get rebuilt by the same people who are rebuilding the same model now, and the only benefit to the US would be…uh…well…we’d still have to build the other ones for future presidents, and any work on this thing would just be for sH’s use.

    Bad business decision for America. Maybe stop hiring TV celebrities, and maybe an accountant. Just one.

    Colonel Klink (ret) (9dbb75) — 5/13/2025 @ 2:04 pm

  21. In fact, I think Air Force TWO was previously owned by another country…….

    “Air Force Two” is not a specific plane, it is whatever aircraft the Vice President is using, and operated by the Air Force.

    The term is often associated with the Boeing C-32, a modified 757 which is most commonly used as the vice president’s transport. Other 89th Airlift Wing aircraft, such as the Boeing C-40 Clipper, C-20B, C-37A, and C-37B, have also served in this role. The VC-25A, the aircraft most often used by the president as Air Force One, has also been used by the vice president as Air Force Two.

    Citations omitted.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 5/13/2025 @ 2:39 pm

  22. The White House
    Washington
    January 21, 2029

    ¡Mis estimados compatriotas americanos!

    Tonight, pursuant to the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, I have directed Attorney General Hill and Secretary of Defense Cheney to use all means necessary to return the stolen Air Force One aircraft, which the government spent untold millions of dollars outfitting with state-of-art communications, defensive gear, and tacky gold-plated toilets, to its rightful owners: you.

    Any attempt to resist, or to abscond with the aircraft, will be considered hijacking and dealt with accordingly.

    No further warnings will be issued. El que busca, encuentra.

    Dave (efa05b) — 5/13/2025 @ 2:45 pm

  23. there are planes in Air Force’s fleet that we bought from or were given by other nations in the past.

    True, but they were warplanes provided to the USAF for evaluation, not presidential (or vice presidential) transport.

    Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 5/13/2025 @ 2:55 pm

  24. Fron Q 3:
    “I want to know more about this, will it be a display at the Trump library or will it still be a functional jet?
    What’s the plan for when that will happen?”

    The transfer to the library is meant to occur before Jan 1, 2029. Trump will still be in power; his successor can’t block it.

    Trump has *said* it will be displayed, just as a retired AF-1 is on display that the Reagan Library.

    However – I can’t imagine the Qataris put that restriction on the gift. So these are really just Trump’s current word output.

    When the time to decide arrives, Trump will have two big birds available:

    A) The “Trump Force One” he owns now, which went into service in 1991 and has a estimated value of $3-$18 MM; or

    B) The Qatar 747-8, which went into service in 2012 (21 years newer!) and should have ten to twenty good years ahead of it, Oh, yeah – Estimated value is $400 MM, depending on amenities.

    So, does Trump choose his “Now” jet or the “WOW” jet? Presidents face tough decisions every day; this will not be one of them. His current mutterings notwithstanding, he will keep the WOW jet in service to fly himself and to dazzle donors and speakers as they are flown to library events.

    Trump will choose the younger model.

    Tom Maguire (6209ae) — 5/13/2025 @ 6:05 pm

  25. I hope you are well, TM. Hilarious as usual!

    BuDuh (a2c9f7) — 5/13/2025 @ 7:02 pm

  26. AllahNick:

    Asked about it on Monday, the president seemed earnestly puzzled by the public uproar. “I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer,” he admitted to reporters. “I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.’” That must be the first time that an American politician has answered an allegation of bribery by pointing out just how stupendously fat the fat envelope he was handed is.

    Dave (979a82) — 5/13/2025 @ 10:34 pm


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