Qatar

The White House may be courting controversy with President Trump’s plans to accept a luxury jumbo jet from the Qatari government, worth $400 million, as the potential new Air Force One — but his administration wouldn’t be the first to welcome lavish gifts from foreign leaders.

The practice goes all the way back to the founding of the country in 1776, with US leaders receiving all manner of exotic and expensive gifts from royalty and heads of government around the world.

In defending the gift of a super luxury jumbo jet he’s preparing to receive from the royal family of Qatar to use as Air Force One, President Donald Trump described it as a brilliant deal. Not for the American people, it isn’t. 

Doha’s decades-long history of buying influence in the U.S. is resurfacing amidst reports that President Donald Trump will accept a gifted luxury Boeing jet by the Qatari government.

President Donald Trump pushed back on Democrats’ concerns over the luxury Qatari jet he may receive from the Middle Eastern country this week, while also revealing that the jet would be “free of charge.”

President Trump defended his decision to accept a luxury Boeing jet from Qatar, calling it “stupid” for him to turn it down amid an influx of criticism from both sides of the aisle over the gift.

President Donald Trump on Monday defended the administration's plans to receive a luxury jumbo jet donated by the Qatari government, saying it would be "stupid" not to accept a free plane, as some Democrats questioned the ethics of such a move.

During remarks at the White House on Monday, before embarking on a four-day trip to the Middle East, Trump called the donation a "very nice gesture" when pressed by reporters if Qatar had asked for anything in exchange...

President Donald Trump is ready to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the ruling family of Qatar during his trip to the Middle East this coming week, and U.S. officials say it could be converted into a potential presidential aircraft.

The Qatari government said a final decision hadn’t been made. Still, Trump defended the idea — what would amount to a president accepting an astonishingly valuable gift from a foreign government — as a fiscally smart move for the country.

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has some explaining to do. According to a new report, the Democrat covered up a $61,930 trip that was paid for by Qatar. Worse, Bowser allegedly lied about it, claiming that the D.C. Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Conference of Mayors footed the bill. 

Scott Taylor of WJLA 7 (a local ABC affiliate) broke the story, claiming that the mayor is now scrambling to collect the receipts so she can try to file them with the District and avoid legal penalities.

Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages, two officials involved in the talks said Tuesday. Mediator Qatar said Israel and the Palestinian militant group were at the “closest point” yet to sealing a deal that would bring them a step closer to ending the war.