WASHINGTON: Qatar’s supply to donate a luxurious jet to the US was not a private reward to President Donald Trump however a “government-to-government transaction”, the Gulf nation’s prime minister stated Wednesday (Might 14).
Trump, whose Center East journey included a cease Wednesday in Qatar, has confronted an uproar again at dwelling since press reviews revealed he was contemplating utilizing the jet as Air Pressure One – and would probably proceed to make use of it after leaving workplace.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani downplayed these issues, telling CNN in an interview he didn’t know why it had grow to be such large information.
“It’s a government-to-government transaction. It has nothing to do with personnel, whether or not it is on the US facet or on the Qatari facet, it is the Ministry of Protection and Division of Protection,” he stated, echoing the White House’s reaction to the backlash.
He additionally dismissed allegations that Qatar was utilizing the reward as a approach of influencing Trump, saying it slightly making an attempt to assist resolve its US ally’s issues.
“Qatar has been all the time a dependable companion for the US, has been all the time stepping as much as assist and help the US, as a result of we consider that this friendship must be mutually useful for each international locations, can’t be a one-way relationship,” Sheikh Mohammed stated.
He added that in any case, the supply was “nonetheless below authorized overview”.
Trump has repeatedly complained of delays and value overruns in aerospace big Boeing’s contract to supply two new Air Pressure One jets to switch the present ageing fashions.
Below questioning from reporters on Monday, Trump angrily defended the association with Qatar, saying he would be “stupid” not to accept such a gift.
However the plan has raised main moral questions, because the US Structure prohibits authorities officers from accepting presents “from any King, Prince or international state”.
It has additionally raised deep safety issues about utilizing a aircraft donated by a international energy to be used because the ultra-sensitive Air Pressure One. The jet is designed to function a cell command centre for the president in case of an assault on America.
