The way Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul sees it, President Donald Trump is coming off a positive week of dealmaking in the Middle East. But White House efforts to accept a $400 million Boeing jet as a gift from Qatar threaten to undermine all that momentum.
"I think my fear is that it detracts from a largely successful trip where the president is talking about opening up and doing more trade with the Middle East, which is a good thing, particularly amidst all the protectionism and directing away from trade that we’ve had going on," the Republican told host Jonathan Karl on Sunday on ABC's "This Week."
Trump is selling the Qatari jet as a victory for American consumers, an aircraft for the White House to use with Boeing years behind schedule in its efforts to complete two more planes that will replace the ones currently serving as Air Force One.
But the president has acknowledged his library would take possession of the plane post-presidency. Critics, including key MAGA allies, have panned the president's push to accept the jet, citing security concerns and negative optics, plus the cost of rebuilding and refitting the jet to meet the standards for a plane used as Air Force One. Some have said Congress should get involved in the matter.
"Those are things I think we all have to attain the highest standard, regardless of where you are, the executive branch or the legislative branch," Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), a senior House Armed Services Committee member, said at the POLITICO Security Summit last week. "So, I do think those are questions that have to be entertained and things that we as members of Congress have to address."
The White House said Trump locked in more than $2 trillion in investment agreements during his trip to the region, part of a "commerce, not chaos" push to prioritize economics over diplomacy in his foreign policy.
But much of the coverage has honed in on the Qatari plane.
"So, could it color the perception of the administration if they have a $400 million plane to be more in favor of these things? Perhaps," Paul told Karl. "It at least gives the appearance of a conflict of interest. I don’t think it’s worth the headache."
from White House https://ift.tt/oSvJw6r
https://ift.tt/2YNOK4b
0 Comments