A new Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll released Monday shows a majority of voters expressing concern over President Trump’s acceptance of a luxury jet from the Qatari government. According to the survey, 62 percent of respondents said the gift of a $400 million Boeing 747 raised ethical concerns related to corruption. In contrast, 35 percent viewed the gesture as a win for the United States.
The data revealed partisan divides. Among Democrats, 85 percent said the acceptance of the jet raised ethical red flags, while only 15 percent considered it beneficial to the U.S. Republican voters were more evenly split, with 60 percent seeing the jet as a positive outcome and 40 percent agreeing it posed ethical concerns. Independents closely mirrored the overall results, with 62 percent citing corruption concerns and 38 percent calling it a win.
These numbers come in the wake of Trump confirming that he plans to accept the Qatari government’s gift of the Boeing 747-8, which is expected to be handed to the Department of Defense before eventually being transferred to the Trump presidential library after his term ends.
The move has drawn criticism from both Democrats and several Republicans. While some lawmakers argue that accepting such a high-value gift from a foreign government blurs ethical lines, others point out that the aircraft will require significant taxpayer funding to be converted into a usable version of Air Force One. Concerns have also been raised about the aircraft’s safety and security specifications.
Trump, however, has brushed off the backlash. While speaking with Fox News’s Bret Baier in Abu Dhabi during a diplomatic stop, the president dismissed the criticism as politically motivated.
“I just want to say, it was a radical-left story,” Trump said. “The people here, to show you how crazy it is, they would like me to pay a billion dollars.”
Despite mounting scrutiny from both parties, Trump has remained firm in his defense of the deal, portraying it as a goodwill gesture from a key Middle Eastern ally rather than a controversial favor.
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