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"It's a fancy phrase -- But a simple idea ..." [1]
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Date: 2025-05-12
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“The Emoluments clause in the Constitution:
It's a fancy phrase -- But a simple idea …
No foreign gifts!
If a foreign government offers you anything, but especially something close to a half Billion dollar’s worth — the answer is ‘No, Thank you’.
End of story. Very simple."
— Senator Brian Schatz — Dem-HI
[0:50]
Schatz: No President Should Take $400 Million Gift From Foreign Country
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May 12, 2025 U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, took to the Senate floor to condemn a luxury airplane gift, valued at $400 million, that President Donald Trump announced he will receive from the government of Qatar. According to reports, Trump intends to designate the plane as Air Force One while in office and then transfer it to a foundation for personal use following the end of his term.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz today blasted President Donald Trump’s plan to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 from the Qatari government to be used as a future Air Force One as “disgusting” and “wildly corrupt” among other things. The Hawaii Democrat says he plans to ask his Senate colleagues to condemn Trump’s plan to accept the Boeing that’s worth over $400 million but will cost millions more to upgrade it to Air Force standards and ensure it’s not bugged or can be tracked, according to ABC News, which first reported the gift from Qatar on Sunday. Trump confirmed the report to reporters today, saying “Now, I could be a stupid person and say, ‘Oh no, we don’t want a free plane.’” Schatz blasted the plan today on the Senate floor and called it a clear violation of the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. www.staradvertiser.com
Finally! ‘Donnie Two Dolls’ said one true thing. A remarkable moment of self awareness.
And why this foreign influence gift is so “wildly corrupt” ...
The plain purpose of the foreign emoluments clause was to ensure that the country’s leaders would not be improperly influenced, even unconsciously, through gift giving, then a common and generally corrupt practice among European rulers and diplomats. www.britannica.com
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"It's wildly corrupt. Just because they are doing the corruption in plain sight, doesn't make it any less damning, or sad, or gross."
— Senator Brian Schatz — Dem-HI
[3:00]
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Maybe he can use it, to move ‘the fam’ to Greenland — permanently!
PS. Take Elon with ya!
One more thing — What if Joe Biden had did this?
What would Republicans be saying then?
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