DOHA, May 20 (Reuters) – Qatar has rejected concerns over the offer to give President Donald Trump a Boeing BA.N plane.
Qatar Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani reiterated on Tuesday that the offer was “normal things happening among allies” and that the Gulf Arab state is a reliable partner of the United States.
He said he doesn’t know why people viewed gifts as bribery and how Qatar can buy influence with the Trump administration.
“But I want even the American people and politicians across the board to see us as friends, partners, and trustworthy partners who were there for the US whenever we needed,” he told the Qatar Economic Forum in Doha.
US Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer introduced the “Presidential Air Transport Security Act” after News Trump planned to accept a $400 million plane from Qatar.
Trump shrugged ethical concerns and said it was “silly” to turn down a generous offer.
Modifying the luxurious Boeing BA.N 747-8 plane provided by Qatar’s royal family requires security upgrades, improved communications, and equipment to prevent spies from listening and dodge incoming missiles.
Trump said the Boeing 747-8 would eventually be donated to his presidential library – a residential research material from his administration, and he said he had no plans to use it for personal reasons after taking office.
During a visit to Doha on Wednesday, Boeing won the biggest contract for widebody aircraft when Qatar Airlines, the provincial airline, ordered firmly from the 160 Jetliners and got the option to buy another 50.
(Reporting by Andrew Mills, Written by Nayera Abdallah, Editing by Louise Heavens, Kirsten Donovan and Sharon Singleton)
