Former presidential candidate and U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley criticized President Trump on Tuesday for accepting a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar, saying the move sends a troubling message and would spark outrage if it were made by a Democrat.
“Regardless of how beautiful the plane may be, it opens a door and implies the President and US can be bought,” Haley posted on X. “If this were Biden, we would be furious.”
Trump, currently traveling through the Middle East, is under bipartisan scrutiny over the Qatari gift. Even some of his loyal supporters have voiced concern about the optics and implications of accepting such a high-value item from a foreign government. But the president has stood by the decision, telling reporters earlier this week that rejecting the offer would have been “stupid.”
“I could be a stupid person and say, ‘No we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane,’ but I thought it was a great gesture,” Trump said.
According to the terms of the arrangement, the plane formerly used by the Qatari royal family will be handed over to the U.S. Department of Defense to act as a temporary replacement for the aging Air Force One fleet. Once Trump leaves office, the aircraft is expected to be transferred to his presidential library.
Haley, who once served in Trump’s cabinet and later challenged him for the 2024 Republican nomination, emphasized her concerns about the national security risks and diplomatic consequences of accepting gifts from governments like Qatar, which has faced criticism for hosting leaders of terrorist organizations.
“Accepting gifts from foreign nations is never a good practice. It threatens intelligence and national security,” she wrote. “Especially when that nation supports a terrorist organization and allows those terrorist regimes to live on its soil.”