I was still reeling from the news of Sabu’s passing when another bombshell dropped on May 11, 2025: President Donald Trump is reportedly accepting a luxury jet from Qatar’s royal family to use as the new Air Force One. I mean, come on—can 2025 get any wilder? The image of Sabu’s tribute, with “1964–2025” etched in my mind, already had me emotional, and now this? A $400 million Boeing 747-8, dripping with gold accents and private suites, is about to become the president’s ride. It sounds like something straight out of a wrestling storyline—larger-than-life, a little over-the-top, and definitely controversial. Let’s dig into what’s going on here, because this story has layers, and I’ve got a lot of thoughts.
Picture this: a “flying palace” with winding staircases, plush leather, and all the glitz you’d expect from Qatari royalty. That’s the jet we’re talking about. It’s 13 years old but still valued at around $400 million, and Trump apparently fell in love with it when he toured it back in February at Palm Beach International Airport. The plan is to use it as Air Force One until just before he leaves office in January 2029, then hand it over to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation so he can keep using it as a private citizen. I can almost hear Trump saying, “It’s big, it’s beautiful, it’s mine!” But as much as I can see why he’d want this jet, something about this whole deal feels… off.
Let’s back up a bit. Trump’s been frustrated with Boeing for a while now. Back in 2018, they were supposed to deliver two new Air Force One jets, but the project’s a mess—over $2 billion over budget, with delays pushing delivery to 2027 or later. Trump’s been vocal about how annoyed he is, even bringing in Elon Musk to pressure Boeing to speed things up. But with no new planes ready, the Qatari jet became a shiny solution. A company called L3Harris Technologies in Florida is already working on retrofitting it with secure communications and other presidential must-haves, though experts are saying it won’t have all the high-tech defenses—like antimissile systems or radiation shielding—that a real Air Force One needs. That’s a red flag right there, but I’ll get to that in a minute.
On paper, this looks like a sweet deal. The current Air Force One planes—two Boeing 747-200s—have been flying since the George H.W. Bush days, and they’re getting old. Qatar’s basically handing over a $400 million jet for free, saving the U.S. a ton of money. Trump gets to fly in style, and the taxpayers don’t have to foot the bill. Sounds great, right? But then I started thinking about Sabu—how he never compromised, even when it cost him his body. Trump’s playing a different game, but this move feels like it could cost him in a whole other way.
The big issue here is ethics. The U.S. Constitution has this thing called the Emoluments Clause, which says federal officials can’t accept gifts from foreign governments without Congress saying it’s okay. Trump’s team—Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington—is saying it’s fine because the jet’s technically going to the U.S. Air Force, not Trump himself, and it’ll transfer to the library before he leaves office. They’re also saying it’s not bribery because it’s not tied to any specific favor. But I’m not so sure. People like Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin are calling it a straight-up violation. Raskin said it’s a “grift”—if you use a $400 million jet for four years and then keep it for yourself, that’s a gift, plain and simple. Ethics experts like Kathleen Clark are calling it “outrageous,” accusing Trump of using his position to score personal perks. I can’t help but agree—it just doesn’t sit right.
Then there’s the Trump family’s business ties in the Middle East. Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, are working on a $5.5 billion luxury golf resort in Qatar through a partnership with Qatari Diar, which is backed by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. Qatar’s been cozying up to Trump for years, especially since his first term when he flip-flopped on a boycott of Doha by other Arab countries. I can’t shake the feeling that this jet isn’t just a nice gesture—it’s a way for Qatar to get on Trump’s good side while his family makes bank over there. It feels like a business deal dressed up as diplomacy, and that’s a problem.
Security’s another thing that’s got me worried. Air Force One isn’t just a fancy plane—it’s supposed to keep the president safe, no matter what. It’s got tech to handle everything from missile attacks to nuclear fallout. This Qatari jet, as pretty as it is, wasn’t built for that. They can add secure communications, sure, but it’s not going to have the full suite of defenses the current planes do. What happens if there’s a crisis mid-flight? And let’s not even get started on the risk of surveillance. A foreign government handing over a plane like this—I can’t help but wonder if there’s tech hidden in there that could spy on the U.S. It sounds paranoid, but in today’s world, it’s a real concern.
People are not holding back on this one. I hopped on X to see what folks are saying, and it’s a firestorm. Some are calling it “bribery in broad daylight.” Others are pointing out how weird it is for Trump to accept a foreign jet while preaching “America First.” One user I saw wrote, “What happened to Made in America? Guess it doesn’t apply to gold-plated planes.” Another person questioned if Boeing’s delays are the whole story—maybe there’s more going on behind the scenes. I’ve got to admit, I’m wondering the same thing. Boeing’s been building planes forever; how are they this far behind?
I can see why Trump wants this jet. His current private plane, “Trump Force One,” is a Boeing 757 from the ‘90s—pretty outdated compared to this Qatari beauty. Trump reportedly called it “one of my new big, beautiful planes,” and I can just imagine him walking through it, loving the gold walls and leather couches. It’s so on-brand for him—flashy, over-the-top, and in-your-face. But I keep thinking about Sabu, who I wrote about earlier today. He gave everything for his craft, even when it hurt him. Trump’s going for the glitz here, but what’s the real price? If this deal blows up—legally, politically, or even in terms of national security—it could be a mess he can’t clean up.
As I’m writing this at 2:44 PM on May 11, 2025, Trump’s getting ready for a Middle East trip that’ll take him to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Word is, he’s going to announce the jet deal during this visit. I’ll be keeping an eye on how this plays out. Will Congress step in to block it? Will we learn more about what Qatar’s really after? And what does this mean for the future—will other countries start offering billion-dollar gifts to get what they want?
This whole thing feels like a wrestling match Sabu would’ve loved to watch—Trump versus ethics, America versus foreign influence, flash versus substance. But this isn’t a ring, and there’s no referee to call foul. For now, we’re all just waiting to see what happens in the next round.
Picture this: a “flying palace” with winding staircases, plush leather, and all the glitz you’d expect from Qatari royalty. That’s the jet we’re talking about. It’s 13 years old but still valued at around $400 million, and Trump apparently fell in love with it when he toured it back in February at Palm Beach International Airport. The plan is to use it as Air Force One until just before he leaves office in January 2029, then hand it over to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation so he can keep using it as a private citizen. I can almost hear Trump saying, “It’s big, it’s beautiful, it’s mine!” But as much as I can see why he’d want this jet, something about this whole deal feels… off.
Let’s back up a bit. Trump’s been frustrated with Boeing for a while now. Back in 2018, they were supposed to deliver two new Air Force One jets, but the project’s a mess—over $2 billion over budget, with delays pushing delivery to 2027 or later. Trump’s been vocal about how annoyed he is, even bringing in Elon Musk to pressure Boeing to speed things up. But with no new planes ready, the Qatari jet became a shiny solution. A company called L3Harris Technologies in Florida is already working on retrofitting it with secure communications and other presidential must-haves, though experts are saying it won’t have all the high-tech defenses—like antimissile systems or radiation shielding—that a real Air Force One needs. That’s a red flag right there, but I’ll get to that in a minute.
On paper, this looks like a sweet deal. The current Air Force One planes—two Boeing 747-200s—have been flying since the George H.W. Bush days, and they’re getting old. Qatar’s basically handing over a $400 million jet for free, saving the U.S. a ton of money. Trump gets to fly in style, and the taxpayers don’t have to foot the bill. Sounds great, right? But then I started thinking about Sabu—how he never compromised, even when it cost him his body. Trump’s playing a different game, but this move feels like it could cost him in a whole other way.
The big issue here is ethics. The U.S. Constitution has this thing called the Emoluments Clause, which says federal officials can’t accept gifts from foreign governments without Congress saying it’s okay. Trump’s team—Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House Counsel David Warrington—is saying it’s fine because the jet’s technically going to the U.S. Air Force, not Trump himself, and it’ll transfer to the library before he leaves office. They’re also saying it’s not bribery because it’s not tied to any specific favor. But I’m not so sure. People like Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin are calling it a straight-up violation. Raskin said it’s a “grift”—if you use a $400 million jet for four years and then keep it for yourself, that’s a gift, plain and simple. Ethics experts like Kathleen Clark are calling it “outrageous,” accusing Trump of using his position to score personal perks. I can’t help but agree—it just doesn’t sit right.
Then there’s the Trump family’s business ties in the Middle East. Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, are working on a $5.5 billion luxury golf resort in Qatar through a partnership with Qatari Diar, which is backed by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund. Qatar’s been cozying up to Trump for years, especially since his first term when he flip-flopped on a boycott of Doha by other Arab countries. I can’t shake the feeling that this jet isn’t just a nice gesture—it’s a way for Qatar to get on Trump’s good side while his family makes bank over there. It feels like a business deal dressed up as diplomacy, and that’s a problem.
Security’s another thing that’s got me worried. Air Force One isn’t just a fancy plane—it’s supposed to keep the president safe, no matter what. It’s got tech to handle everything from missile attacks to nuclear fallout. This Qatari jet, as pretty as it is, wasn’t built for that. They can add secure communications, sure, but it’s not going to have the full suite of defenses the current planes do. What happens if there’s a crisis mid-flight? And let’s not even get started on the risk of surveillance. A foreign government handing over a plane like this—I can’t help but wonder if there’s tech hidden in there that could spy on the U.S. It sounds paranoid, but in today’s world, it’s a real concern.
People are not holding back on this one. I hopped on X to see what folks are saying, and it’s a firestorm. Some are calling it “bribery in broad daylight.” Others are pointing out how weird it is for Trump to accept a foreign jet while preaching “America First.” One user I saw wrote, “What happened to Made in America? Guess it doesn’t apply to gold-plated planes.” Another person questioned if Boeing’s delays are the whole story—maybe there’s more going on behind the scenes. I’ve got to admit, I’m wondering the same thing. Boeing’s been building planes forever; how are they this far behind?
I can see why Trump wants this jet. His current private plane, “Trump Force One,” is a Boeing 757 from the ‘90s—pretty outdated compared to this Qatari beauty. Trump reportedly called it “one of my new big, beautiful planes,” and I can just imagine him walking through it, loving the gold walls and leather couches. It’s so on-brand for him—flashy, over-the-top, and in-your-face. But I keep thinking about Sabu, who I wrote about earlier today. He gave everything for his craft, even when it hurt him. Trump’s going for the glitz here, but what’s the real price? If this deal blows up—legally, politically, or even in terms of national security—it could be a mess he can’t clean up.
As I’m writing this at 2:44 PM on May 11, 2025, Trump’s getting ready for a Middle East trip that’ll take him to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Word is, he’s going to announce the jet deal during this visit. I’ll be keeping an eye on how this plays out. Will Congress step in to block it? Will we learn more about what Qatar’s really after? And what does this mean for the future—will other countries start offering billion-dollar gifts to get what they want?
This whole thing feels like a wrestling match Sabu would’ve loved to watch—Trump versus ethics, America versus foreign influence, flash versus substance. But this isn’t a ring, and there’s no referee to call foul. For now, we’re all just waiting to see what happens in the next round.
