Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop 🛑

 

NTodd (unsurprisingly) makes an excellent point:

Funny thing is, Congress has kinda pre-consented to accepting the gift on behalf of the United States, if he were to really to take it, but of course that means it become property of the People. It's in statute, and the disposal process is spelled out by Federal regs. Which it's why it's extra amusing when people compare it to Obama's gifts. Dude didn't keep the stuff, most of it is held by NARA (they have a whole Gifts of State collection!).

If Congress is stuck with “pre-acceptance,” the GOP is royally fucked. 

Even though this jet has to be stripped to the bulkheads, it will forever (or for the rest 2025 and 2026, which politically will be forever) be the “flying palace.” 

And Democrats can force Republicans to allocate the funds to turn it into an acceptable AFOne. Which won’t happen any faster or cheaper than the two Boeing is already working on. If the GOP refuses, then: “WTF, guys? You accepted this! Now what?” 😹

Can you say “Albatross”? I thought you could.

It will be the “bribe plane.” It will be the “flying palace.” It will be the Spruce Goose that could fly, but never will. A physical manifestation of Trump’s complete ineptitude. The gift that keeps on giving as Democrats in ‘27 scuttle any funding for it and direct the AF to strip it for parts or the DOD to use it for target practice. Hey, it was free, right? We don’t need it. Why waste money even maintaining it? Drop it in the ocean, it would still cost less than the two jets that fell off the Truman. 

And I still wouldn’t be surprised if Qatar just walked away from this mess without trying to so much as arrange delivery. I really think they thought this would be as easy as buying Trump’s crypto, and now they don’t know whether to shit or go blind.

Future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades. 😎

Kennedy: I don't think the plane is that great of an idea to accept because I think that if we are forcing Democrats and the Biden family— if we are holding them to account, then I think it is a political mistake to be doing something that could be construed as the same thing. pic.twitter.com/8KgfqmsUX3

— Acyn (@Acyn) May 14, 2025

Qatar PM: Unfortunately, I see this story is taking a different direction and it’s being politicized while it’s a normal government to government deal… We bought this airplane from an American company. It's basically part of a cooperation that we have been doing together… pic.twitter.com/cQLJkkOkhE

— Acyn (@Acyn) May 14, 2025

Qatar PM: Unfortunately, I see this story is taking a different direction and it’s being politicized while it’s a normal government to government deal… We bought this airplane from an American company. It's basically part of a cooperation that we have been doing together between Qatar and the United States.

Laying the groundwork to walk away….

The Qataris are apparently unfamiliar with the concept of emoluments being considered illegal or unethical, which is entirely understandable, but I don’t want to adopt their value system for the US, even if our president embraces it completely. https://t.co/BnBq7Ye9Z8

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) May 15, 2025

Pretty much where this is going….