this post was submitted on 12 May 2025
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Attorney General Pam Bondi gave Donald Trump the green light to accept a $400 million “flying palace” as a gift from Qatar.

ABC News reported that the Qatar royal family is expected to gift Trump a Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet ahead of his big trip to the Middle East, where he is expected to visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar to secure “economic agreements.”

Bondi and Trump’s top White House lawyer, David Warrington, have already smoothed the legal details. They concluded that the gift is “legally permissible” because it is being handed to the United States Air Force and then will be transferred to Trump’s presidential library foundation. They also determined it does not constitute a bribe because the gift does not hinge on an official act.

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[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 60 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

This is really one step away from, "It's not embezzling if you award money to a non-profit you have full control over."

[–] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 17 points 4 weeks ago

Didn't DeSantis just do that in Florida?

[–] chase_what_matters@lemmy.world 30 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Hope that shit fucking crashes.

[–] orclev@lemmy.world 11 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean there's a good chance. Air traffic control in the US is hanging by a thread.

[–] archonet@lemy.lol 10 points 4 weeks ago

And it's current-day Boeing. So there's actually a really good chance.

[–] ReallyActuallyFrankenstein@lemmynsfw.com 26 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago) (2 children)

Bondi:

They also determined it does not constitute a bribe because the gift does not hinge on an official act.

Emoluments clause:

...no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.

Bondi, we're not talking about bribes, we're talking about explicit violations of the Constitution. So where's the Congressional consent?

Oh, because Qatar gives it to USAF, and USAF gives it to Trump, it's "legally permissible." Gosh, what a novel idea. Definitely not something a first year law student would see as a strawperson introduced in a transaction specifically to evade illegal conduct.

[–] toy_boat_toy_boat@lemmy.world 4 points 4 weeks ago

what don't y'all understand about the transitive property of emoluments?

[–] JeremyHuntQW12@lemmy.world 2 points 4 weeks ago

SCOTUS has ruled that Trump is immune from prosecution.

[–] T00l_shed@lemmy.world 23 points 4 weeks ago

Corruption abound

[–] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 21 points 4 weeks ago

Eat the rich

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 16 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago)

Constitution? What's that?

Is it that piece of paper hanging in the bathroom in Mar-a-Lago that the orange utang wipes his ass with every day?

[–] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 16 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

Is the rule really written that it needs to be a bribe? I'm a state employee and we can't even accept food from vendors under conflict of interest rules for gifts, there's no need for any bribe to occur for it to count.

[–] Auli@lemmy.ca 4 points 4 weeks ago

You see you low born can't get anything but higher ups.

[–] MagosInformaticus@sopuli.xyz 3 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

No Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under [the United States], shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
US Constitution section 9 clause 8.

I'd say that's pretty clear an official act to the giver's benefit is not a necessary element of the prohibited conduct. If something is offered, both houses of congress must vote to allow it or the gift must be declined.

[–] Don_alForno@feddit.org 2 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, but, you see, it's the air force that's getting the gift, it's just meant for orange Hitler's exclusive use. That's clearly not a gift to him personally. /wink

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 1 points 4 weeks ago

And they've stated in advance that the Air Force won't continue to own it after Trump to benefit the United States.

[–] KMAMURI@lemmy.world 15 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

Fight back already. Damn. Dude is just rubbing it in your face now.

[–] FartMaster69@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Very useful advice thanks.

[–] KMAMURI@lemmy.world 0 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Advice? You don't want advice. People including myself have tried. We are met with excuses and derision only.

You want smart ass comments that inflame and invite so that's what you get.

[–] FartMaster69@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 4 weeks ago

You’re so right, bestie.

Got any more for me?

[–] Hylactor@sopuli.xyz 7 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Sure, I'll just quit my job and travel the 4500 km to Washington DC, then I will stand outside and yell across the lawn to him that "I demand satisfaction!", and when he walks down to the fence to talk to me I'll challenge hin to a duel.

[–] KMAMURI@lemmy.world -1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

You guys will use any excuse not to fight back. I'm almost of the belief that you all deserve what you've gotten but I still hold on to some little thread that most people are genuinely good and smart. You continually prove otherwise however. It's hard to even believe there's even just one good one left. Enjoy dancing with the stars or whatever is more important than the lives of your fellow countrymen and eventually yourself.

[–] Kookie215@lemmy.world 6 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Some of us are fighting. They don't put it on TV or push it to the front of social media the way they did the BLM protest, but we are out there. I am out there every weekend at my state capital building screaming and I am not alone.

[–] KMAMURI@lemmy.world -5 points 4 weeks ago

I'm not even gonna. You don't want to know.

[–] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 14 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

How are those checks and balances working?

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 11 points 4 weeks ago

Blank checks and no balance.

America is dead and I am sad about it.

[–] mister_flibble@lemm.ee 10 points 4 weeks ago

Bowel's moving castle

[–] kryptonianCodeMonkey@lemmy.world 8 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

They also determined it does not constitute a bribe because the gift does not hinge on an official act.

Right. Just out of the goodness of their hearts then. A belated housewarming gift.

[–] null_dot@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 4 weeks ago

This claim is non-sensical.

Is a bribe really a bribe if it's provided in exchange for an official act? That sounds more like a contractual arrangement, which is obviously not a bribe.

Additionally, it's obviously worse if the reciprocation is undocumented. The money is provided in exchange for various favors of an undisclosed nature.

Their ruling is a non-sequitur. They're basically just saying "it's a bribe, deal with it".

[–] Lucky_777@lemmy.world 4 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago) (2 children)

What's stopping them from hiding a kill switch in that plane? I'm worried about our president. Imagine the outrage if the plane went down with him in it? Let's pray to Krasnov, let his mercy protect Mr. President.

[–] Jimbabwe@lemmy.world 8 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Also probably got a million hidden recording devices. Lol, that idiot is gonna get hisself blackmailed by everyone. Russia and UAE can take turns pulling the strings!

[–] LumpyPancakes@lemm.ee 2 points 4 weeks ago

Naah. They'll be in flight mode.

[–] TheCriticalMember@aussie.zone 1 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Don't worry, if the US ever gets a real president again I doubt they'll set foot on this middle finger to the country.

[–] OhStopYellingAtMe@lemmy.world 1 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago)

trump gets to keep the jet after he leaves (assuming he leaves). The jet goes with him. By way of his “presidential library fund.”

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 3 points 4 weeks ago
[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 3 points 4 weeks ago

I hope it’s a Boeing

[–] w3dd1e@lemm.ee 3 points 4 weeks ago

You can’t buy me new dresses, that would be unethical. But, I bet my husband would appreciate some new dresses. ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)

[–] fox2263@lemmy.world 1 points 4 weeks ago

You know it’s got loads of gold decor