The Emoluments Clause, formally known as the Foreign Emoluments Clause, is a key provision of the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 9, Clause 8). It generally prohibits federal officeholders from accepting gifts, payments, or any other benefits from foreign governments or their representatives without the consent of Congress. The clause aims to prevent corruption and undue foreign influence on U.S. government officials
What are the gifts of Article 1 Section 9?
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.
Accepting this is illegal/unconstitutional. But MAGA chose a convicted criminal to lead our country. So, who's surprised to learn that Trump will take the grift from Qatar and commit a high crime and misdemeanor again while in office?
Qatar has been a key financial supporter of the Palestinian militant organization Hamas, transferring more than $1.8 billion to Hamas over the years. In consultation with the U.S. and Israeli governments, $30 million were transferred monthly to Hamas, according to a Qatari official interviewed by Der Spiegel in 2024.
Last week Trump announced his organization is building a $5.5 billion golf course in Qatar.
This past week the government of Qatar announced it is giving Trump a $400 billion luxury private jet.
This is corruption on steroids being committed for all Americans to witness.
Elect a convicted felon to office, expect bribery and corruption.
Qatar harbors Hamas leadership. Some would say it should be designated as a terrorist country for that alone. When Press Secy. Leavitt was asked if the “gift” would require something in return, she said “Absolutely not, because they know President Trump, and they know he only works with the interests of the American people in mind.” I nearly barfed hearing that nonsense. Of course Qatar expects something in return, Trump knows that, and he’s willing to oblige because he’s a con artist and a liar.
From 2012, Qatar hosted the Hamas party leadership when Hamas head Khaled Mashal relocated from Syria to Qatar. The former head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, had resided in Doha since 2016 until his death in 2024.
Nothing, no matter how criminal will suprize me anymore.
ReplyDeleteTrump is as criminal as any mob boss ever was. He will only get more blatantly so as the legal infrastructure he l despises continues to crumble under his pressure.
The fascist Felon is in fact beating the system again. I'm willing to bet he's laughing every day as he plans his next illegal actions.
I'm sure that Trump feels absolutely NO "attachment" to his new plane, Les. He has AF-1, after all. The new plane probably doesn't even have chaff dispenser for when Democrats try and shoot his plane down. The new plane will go to Melania, because much like the new plane, Trump can always find a new wife.
DeleteI'm just waiting for our usual trolls to saunter in and tell the rest of us to 'calm down' and don't get so upset, what's the issue????
ReplyDeleteUS government made Jimmy Carter sell his peanut farm and as the meme states, Hilary Clinton had to turn down a modestly priced necklace.
Proof MAGA has no moral compass is the outright and over the top celebrating over the "win" for the FOTUS admin, never mind the expense of taking the plane apart to ensure national security. Or the breaking of the emollients clause. I mean, the Tesla car ad on the White House lawn should have been the clue for me. Apparently it's just fine for MAGA.
So after the US taxpayer pays for the necessary modifications you mean to tell me the FOTUS gets to keep the plane after leaving office? So, what about the modifications? Do they stay? All the super secret security stuff? You know the minute they are installed and the plane is in the air every other nation with ties to Qatar will have the designs, if they don't already.
Unchartered territory here and for me at least the funniest bit is FOTUS claiming with his full chest that it's not a bribe since the exchange is happening in front of the public eye. Wow. I always thought crime was crime but I guess it's always OK if you are a Republican.
The MAGA crowd has situational morals. If their guy is an amoral pig in his marriages, cheats his contractors, cheats people with fake universities, incites armed thugs to attack our nation's Capitol and not care that the mobs yelled, "HANG MIKE PENCE," why should they care if the convicted felon accepts a bribe from a country that's Hamas-friendly.
DeleteMAGA is bewitched by an cowardly little tyrant, scamming them out of their money with Chinese bibles, gold sneakers, and meme cards with fake bulging biceps images on them.
Trump has always been a con man, and is still conning his MAGA dupes and anyone else who isn't smart enough to figure out what he is.
And yet, here we are. A gullible nation that was easily duped by a con and charlatan. Twice. And if he runs again I'm putting my money on the con for winning a 3'rd time..
ReplyDeleteSo, it's getting easier to see just how deluded much of this country is and know it will remain so.
America is being rapidly and fundamentally changed. And gee, where and when was that previously stated and by whom?
The republican hypocrite party that's who.
From The Hill:
ReplyDelete"I’m not a fan of Qatar. They have a really disturbing pattern of funding theocratic lunatics who want to murder us, funding Hamas and Hezbollah — and that’s a real problem,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told CNBC on Tuesday. “I also think the plane poses significant espionage and surveillance problems. … I certainly have concerns.”
Others were more curt.
“I’m not flying on a Qatari plane. They support Hamas,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), an ardent Trump supporter, said Monday. “I don’t know how you make it safe.”
“‘Gosh, let me give you a plane.’ I mean, that seems pretty nice, but they support Hamas, so I don’t know. I don’t know how you make it safe,” Scott continued, declining to say what Trump should do. “I don’t want the president of the United States flying on an unsafe plane.”
Qatar is offering a luxury passenger jet. The airborne fortress that is used as Air Force One has over $100m worth of equipment that they can't possibly provide. It has electronic countermeasures to hide and defend against enemy attack. It has multiple redundant systems for telecommunications to our armed forces everywhere in the world. It has additional armor that isn't included in any passenger jet. It is designed to be used as a command center in the event of major war. All you have to do is look at the photos of the jet the Qataris want to give Trump and you'll quickly understand this "gift" doesn't come close to the needs of the Commander in Chief.
ReplyDeleteSimply put, Qatar's "gift" to Trump is nothing more than a fancy jet for excessively rich civilians. It's not fit for use by the Commander in Chief of the most powerful nation in the world. That Trump would accept this reveals his deep corruption, his complete ignorance of his responsibilities as commander in chief, and his childish acceptance of cheap toys from foreign leaders.
Anybody who would support this gross corruption is not a loyal American.
Wonder if the sailors on the Mothership of Denial are down with this. They seem fairly representative of ZMAGA mentality.
ReplyDeleteCurrent Whitehouse resident needs something even MORE appropriate -
ReplyDeletethe Presidential Hot Air Balloon.
I never saw the need for the president of the US to have two 747's dedicated to his transportation. A G800 or even a MAX would get him anywhere in the world he needs to go.
ReplyDeleteI like BB's idea because they would use existing resources to fuel it.
Accepting the plane would still require major modifications to function as AF1. Better for him to accept it for personal transportation and sell his 757.
Skud, you do know that Trump accepting a personal gift of a $400 million jet while still president is against the constitution, don’t you? Or like the GOP and Trump don’t you care anymore about the rule of law?
DeleteLike the FOTUS it is clear to me our local trolls believe the US is in a 'post-Constitutional' era.
ReplyDeleteI watched several clips of the Middle East conference - Trump standing up and going the wrong way, having to be directed to the correct position. Trump sleeping during the meeting!!
Heaven forbid a Democratic politician had done such things. And no trolls, Biden didn't fall asleep in the middle of a meeting. Yes, there were clips that were proved to have been doctored. Trump sleeping was real time, live TV. Where is the outrage then?
To address skuds plane alternatives, if I remember correctly the need for an fully stocked operating theater and other operational needs I don't have the clearance to know, demand the use of the 747 model, and two of them because they both have to perform the same duties, offer the same protections, and must be ready 24/7. So, it's not just about getting from point A to point B. Aside from carrying their luggage, when in the air all the accoutrements of being the President are there too.
I'm sure there is more but I read through the comments before writing my own. The callousness expressed by the many faced troll against the least powerful makes me ill. Their glib comment and blatant unconcern for the children just left in a truck after ICE snatched their dad??? When "they" come for you many faced one there won't be anyone to care you are gone. That laughter you hear as an echo on the wind that day? That's me.
There's more, but the blatant racist and White Supremacy on display today just leaves me in a place I'd rather not be. So I'm going to watch old goat videos (thank you Shaw for the web link to the goat farm), hug my cat until we play bitey mcbitey face (wherein I stuff his head under my armpit which calms him down. weird but he is a cat), and hopefully get my brain to just let go for a moment.
Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst. When cruelty is the point the worst is not far behind.
According to what I have heard from the corrupt media including fox the plane would not be a personal gift but a loan to the US.
ReplyDeleteGrey, A democrat politician did the same thing as you point out trump did but the said democrat slept through four years according to many reports coming out. I guess in your mind it is better to have an incompetent senile president than trump. At least we had doctor jill as co-president.
What are the democrats going to do IF trump is successful. The media has been shown to be liars so they have lost the influence to promote the democrats and the party has no leader, platform or ideas and is solely We Hate Trump as their only position.Trump's not doing everything right but at least he is trying to represent the American people.
Trump is most certainly not representing the American people. He is too busy lining his pockets at the expense of the American people. But we know skud that you'll continue to support his ignorance and dishonesty. As well as supporting his rush to oligarchy and kleptocracy.
ReplyDeleteLes, what proof can you present the trump is lining his pockets. He may be lining his relatives and sons pockets but that is par for the course according to joe, Maxine, Hillary/bill and of course Nancy.
ReplyDeleteWeren't his son's in the Middle East this week? Something about golf courses and such.
ReplyDeleteFamily business.