A new wave of business deals involving Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s children has raised eyebrows, all linked to Qatar, following the controversy over a potential $400 million Boeing jet gift for Trump. The jet, which would serve as a replacement for Air Force One, has fueled a fierce backlash, with critics calling it a “bribery” and “illegal.”
The controversy has also raised questions about the Trump family’s connections to Qatar and the broader Middle East. Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Jr., who oversee the Trump Organization, recently announced a deal with Qatari developers Dar Global and Qatari Diar to build a Trump International Golf Club. The project will feature an 18-hole course and luxury Trump-branded villas within a larger government development.
At the same time, Qatar-backed funds have poured money into several high-profile ventures, including a $6 billion funding round for Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI. Qatar also has stakes in the private equity firm run by Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, according to The Independent.
On top of that, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi previously earned up to $115,000 per month lobbying for Qatar, adding to the web of connections.
Despite the growing scrutiny, both the Trump family and the White House have denied any improper mixing of business and politics. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt dismissed criticisms, claiming Trump’s reelection proves voters trust him to act in the country’s best interest.
However, the focus on the Qatar deals continues to intensify, especially after news broke about a potential $400 million jet gift. This jet, which has been described as a “flying palace,” has raised concerns about whether it’s a form of bribery. Some critics point to Qatar’s funding of Hamas, which is estimated at $1.8 billion since 2007, while Trump has fiercely attacked university protesters supporting Gaza.
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro called the potential jet deal “a stain” on Trump’s administration, while MAGA activist Laura Loomer said it went against Trump’s promise to “drain the swamp” of corruption.
The controversy also highlights potential conflicts of interest as the Trump family’s business dealings in Qatar continue to grow. According to the U.S. Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, public officials are prohibited from accepting gifts from foreign governments.
Sources told ABC News that White House lawyers and the Justice Department believe accepting the jet wouldn’t violate bribery laws because it would be given to the U.S. Air Force, not Trump personally, and would eventually be donated to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation.
But experts aren’t convinced. Richard Briffault, a government ethics professor at Columbia Law School, argued that if the jet ends up at Trump’s library, it would be a violation of the Emoluments Clause. Briffault explained that gifts like this are designed to make recipients feel obligated, potentially influencing their political decisions.
Critics have raised questions about whether the Trump family’s business dealings are truly in America’s best interest, or if they are driven by the Trump Organization’s financial gain. “Is America’s best interest being served, or is it the best interests of the Trump Organization?” asked Jordan Libowitz of the nonprofit watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
While the White House maintains that Trump’s assets are held in trust, it’s clear he remains aware of what his children are doing to further the family business.
Trump, meanwhile, has defended the deal, calling the plane a “gift” for the U.S. military and bragging about the transparency of the transaction. On Truth Social, he wrote, “The fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!”
