Donald Trump is a crook, and since he gets away with everything, he’s not even trying to hide it.
The royal family of Qatar is going to gift a luxury 747-8 Boeing jumbo jet, which will be used as Air Force One. The jet, described as a “flying palace,” will have to be refitted to serve as Air Force One, and won’t be ready until shortly before Trump is “supposed” to leave office. And never mind that the government has two more on order from Boeing.
Here’s the sticky part. After Trump leaves office, the jet won’t be available for future presidents because Trump is taking it with him. Ownership of the $400 million jet will be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library, or in other words, it will be transferred to Donald Trump.
Why didn’t Qatar make this donation to President Joe Biden, or even make a similar donation to President Barack Obama or President George W. Bush? Because those presidents couldn’t be bribed, Donald Trump, on the other hand, is publicly taking bribes. I think Qatar went overboard, as this is the most expensive gift ever given to a US president. They could have just bribed Trump with Tic Tacs and a compliment that he has a nice tushy.
When presidents are given gifts from foreign nations, they’re not gifts to the president himself, but to the nation. When a president leaves office, he leaves the gifts. Sometimes, a president is offered the opportunity to purchase a gift. The Clintons tried to take stuff, but had to either return the items or pay for them.
There’s no telling how much Trump stole other than classified documents, but those were valuable too. He probably took some trinkets because if he thought the classified documents belonged to him, then he would believe any other gifts also belonged to him, like a $400 million jumbo jet.
It’s a shell game with the way ownership of the jet will be transferred. Presidential libraries are usually built through donations and maintained with federal funds. Taxpayers don’t have a responsibility to build shrines for former presidents, especially a corrupt one. So why will a $400 million jet that belongs to taxpayers be given to Trump’s library?
It’s technically being given to the Air Force, and Pete Hegseth, the Defense Secretary, said it’s legal to transfer the ownership later. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the same thing, and it does not violate laws against bribery or the Constitution's prohibition (the emoluments clause) of any U.S. government official accepting gifts “from any King, Prince or foreign State.”
But according to reports, Trump wants to keep the jet. So, while it’s the property of the library, will Trump be flying around in it, or is it just going to be sitting in a parking lot outside the dumbest presidential library in history, like the Lisa Marie does across Elvis Presley Blvd. from Graceland? Will the Bribe Jet also have a bed with one giant seatbelt across it, like the Lisa Marie does?
Yes, I’ve been to Graceland. The people you meet in line who are on their fourth or fifth trip were the scary ones, but MAGAts have replaced those cultists.
Trump is openly taking bribes. Remember how Republicans claimed President Biden was corrupt because his son had business with foreign governments? But somehow, Trump should not be questioned about his foreign businesses. Jared was never questioned by Republicans howling about Hunter Biden despite his taking a $2 billion gift from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
As Harry would say from Resident Alien, “This is some bullshit.”
Trump is currently being bought by people buying stock in Truth Social, which is currently trading at right under $25.. He’s being bought by the people purchasing his bitcoin, which is currently trading at $2. He can be bribed by buying his merch, which includes caps, shirts, shoes, straws, and shitty guitars, all made in China.
One way or another, Trump is going to own this jet because nobody holds him accountable. How much more shit will be collect before this term is done? I mean, it’s only been a little over 100 days into Trump 2.0, and he’s already been bribed with a $400 million jet. What’s next, a yacht from the United Arab Emirates, a condo on the shore of the Black Sea gifted by Russia, or maybe a date with Kim Jong Un’s sister, Kim Yo Jong?
And we thought Nixon was a crook.
Creative note: I got this idea while doing the Zoom thing with Kevin Necessary today. My TV was on, but set to mute, and I saw the headline about this from the corner of my eye.
I drew this at Starbucks, where someone wrote “You Rock” on my venti mocha frappe, except it looked more like “yoo roch.” Nobody roches harder.
Music note: I listened to Soul Asylum.
Drawn in 30 seconds:
Timelapse:
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This country is a sewer now. Perfect toon and blog.
The 747s left at Boeing by Russia will be done about the same time. His Insufferable Idiocy would take a dumpster full of giant pigweed if it was smothered in flattery. Look up giant pigweed, it’s actually a fit gift for that bad excuse of a human.