Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Tuesday that he is placing a hold on all political nominees to the Justice Department in response to President Trump’s impending acceptance of a luxury jet from Qatar, intended to become the new Air Force One.
This marks the first time Schumer has issued a sweeping hold of this kind as the Senate’s top Democrat. The move comes amid growing outrage among Democrats over the president’s decision to accept the aircraft, which is valued at $400 million. Trump is currently on a four-day trip through the Middle East that includes a visit to Qatar, where he is expected to announce a major arms deal with the Gulf nation.
Schumer described the arrangement as not only deeply unethical but also a potential national security risk. He said he would use his position to halt political appointments at the Justice Department until further clarity is provided about the circumstances of the aircraft gift and whether legal and constitutional boundaries have been crossed.
He also demanded that the Justice Department’s Foreign Agents Registration Act division release information on any Qatari agents operating within the United States who might stand to benefit from the president’s dealings or his business ventures.
In his remarks, Schumer raised multiple concerns about the aircraft itself, including its airworthiness, safety features, and how its use might affect the existing contract between the U.S. government and Boeing. He pressed for answers on who inside the Department of Justice approved the transaction and how such a deal was allowed to proceed under existing ethics laws.
Schumer further insisted that Attorney General Pam Bondi must testify before both chambers of Congress to explain how this kind of gift could be legally justified, and why it wouldn’t violate the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits federal officials from receiving gifts from foreign states without congressional consent.
Bondi, before taking her role at the Justice Department, previously worked as a registered lobbyist for the Qatari government adding another layer of controversy to the unfolding situation.