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Some Republican senators are concerned over the prospect of Qatar gifting Trump a jet

Some Republican senators are concerned over the prospect of Qatar gifting Trump a jet
While President Trump maintains it'd be "stupid" to turn down a $400 million jet from Qatar to serve as Air Force One, some Republicans have joined Democrats in expressing concern at such a move.The big picture: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an emailed statement on Monday night that "any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws" and the administration "is committed to full transparency."But the prospect of the Qatari royal family gifting the president a luxury Boeing 747-8, which has been dubbed a "palace in the sky," has led some Republicans to express discomfort about the matter.What they're saying:Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), a key Trump ally, said "I'm not flying on a Qatari plane. They support Hamas," per The Hill. "I don't know how you make it safe. ... I don't want the president of the United States flying on an unsafe plane."Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told reporters, "I don't think it looks good or smells good." He later told Fox News, "There is a provision in the Constitution says you can't do this. And so the question is, can you do it if it's only for official purposes? .. I think it's not worth the appearance of impropriety. Whether it's improper or not, I don't think it's worth it".Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) said to CNN Trump and the White House said "need to look at the Constitutionality" of the matter. "I'd be checking for bugs is what I'd be checking for," she added.Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters, "If Qatar gives a plane to the president of the United States, it seems to me that raises questions of whether the administration would be in compliance with the gift law."Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) told reporters, "It would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America. That would be ideal."Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) said he needed to look into the legalities of the matter but "we ought to follow the law," according to CNN.Go deeper: Backstory: How Trump got a free "palace in the sky"Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and further comment from Sen. Rand Paul.

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