This week, controversy emerged when President Donald Trump announced that the Emirate of Qatar had offered him a gift: a $400 million jet, a modernized “flying palace” complete with all the fixings. The gift will be presented to the Department of Defense to be retrofit for Air Force One; after a short period of use, it will then make its way to the Trump Presidential Library.
Questions remain about the legality of such a gift. Does it violate the emoluments clause of the Constitution? Does it require Congressional approval? Regardless of the legality, one fact is eminently clear: Qatar does not offer gifts without golden strings attached. Ever.
Qatar is a tiny nation, with land holdings slightly bigger than Rhode Island and a population the size of Connecticut’s—most of whom are migrant workers and/or modern-day slaves. Yet Qatar has spent nearly $100 billion,…
