Tuesday, May 13

United States President Donald Trump has announced that he is planning to accept a 747-8 jet as a gift from Qatar, sparking outrage among politicians.

The luxury plane is a Boeing 747-800 and costs approximately $400 million-- a staggering price for a gift from another country. Trump has stated that he plans to accept the jet and begin using it as the new Air Force One, which is the official plane that carries the President.

Currently, there are two planes that serve as Air Force One, both 747s. However, the two jets are over 40 years old, and Trump has consistently criticized their condition. While the government is working on adding another, newer jet to the fleet, it could take years before that project is complete. Now, Qatar, a close US ally, has offered him a $400 million jet-- for free.

Additionally, Trump will maintain ownership of the plane after leaving office, but he claims that he will move it to his future presidential library instead of using it.

Nevertheless, politicians -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- have raised concerns over the jet and his uses for it.

Many Americans have questioned the fact that the plane is from Qatar, meaning that there may be security problems with using the jet as Air Force One. Hidden cameras, microphones, and other devices are all possibilities, and while the plane will be scanned for these spying mechanisms, many people believe that there could be something suspicious onboard the expensive plane.

Also, Air Force One jets have been specifically tailored with certain capabilities like air-to-air refueling that could be crucial during times of war-- capabilities that the luxury jet does not have. US officials have confirmed that they can add these features to the new plane, but it will take time that the president is not willing to give them.

Others have expressed disdain over the fact that Trump is accepting such an expensive gift, and many see it as a way to personally benefit him. After all, the plane will stay under his ownership after he leaves office. While Trump has attempted to quell those concerns by claiming that he will place it in a future presidential library dedicated to him, the plane would still be relatively new and in good condition in 2029, meaning that he, or the rest of the Trump family, could end up using it for other purposes after he leaves office.

This has been one of people's primary concerns with President Trump for years now, as he has been accused of utilizing his position as president and the law for personal gains. Trump's launch of his own social media platform, Truth Social, allowed him to gain millions of dollars in a time of need after the value of his stock shot up, and the creation of his own cryptocurrency, $TRUMP, has also financially benefited him-- the family's collection of the coin is now worth billions. He has also won lawsuits against various companies, gaining him additional millions of dollars, and his business interests in US-allied countries like Qatar and Saudi Arabia have given him even more money.

Trump, though, has defended his decision, saying that he would be a "stupid person" if he turned down a "free, very expensive airplane." However, it is currently unlikely that the Supreme Court or Congress will take steps to reverse the decision.

Fact of the Day (BBC): You can actually die laughing. Laughing itself can't kill you, but many people have died after intense laughter caused a heart attack, cardiac arrest, or suffocation.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Gossip dies when it hits a wise person's ears. Rumors are initiated by haters, spread by fools, and swallowed by the gullible. (Unknown)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Fester (verb, FESS-ter) - Something that festers becomes worse as time passes. Fester can also mean, in the context of wounds, sores, etc., “to become painful and infected.”

In a Sentence: We should deal with these problems now instead of allowing them to fester.