US Senate Republicans block top Democrat's attempt to pass Qatari jet bill

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a bill introduced by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that takes aim at President Donald Trump’s deal with Qatar to accept a luxury jet as a gift to serve as the next Air Force One.

"With the news that Trump formally accepted the Qatari jet: I took to the Senate floor to pass my bill to block DoD from spending a single penny on a foreign Air Force One," Schumer said on X, referring to the Department of Defense.

"It’s a bribe. It’s a national security threat. But Republicans stood with Trump and blocked my bill," he added.

Sen. Roger Marshall blocked the Presidential Airlift Security Act, which would prevent the Department of Defense from using any funds to procure, modify, restore or maintain aircraft previously owned by foreign governments or their representatives for presidential airlift purposes.

The bill came after Trump said he would accept the Boeing 747-8 plane to serve as the next Air Force One during his visit last week to the Middle East.

The Pentagon formally announced Wednesday that the plane had been accepted.

"The secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations," said chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell. "The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the president of the United States."

The gift of a plane estimated to cost $400 million has raised questions of ethics and legality from Republicans and Democrats alike.