Hillary Slams Trump on Foreign Gifts, Faces Backlash Over Her Own Record

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Hillary Clinton’s attempt to criticize President Trump’s acceptance of a $400 million Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar quickly backfired as critics reminded her of her own controversial record of accepting foreign donations.

Key Takeaways

Hillary Clinton criticized President Trump for accepting a $400 million Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar, suggesting such gifts always come with expectations.
President Trump defended the acquisition as a cost-saving measure for taxpayers, with the jet to be transferred to his Presidential Library Foundation.
Critics reminded Clinton of her own controversies, including a $1 million donation from Qatar to the Clinton Foundation in 2011 that went undisclosed to the State Department.
The Department of Justice ruled that Trump’s acceptance of the jet is legally permissible despite concerns about the Constitution’s emoluments clause.
Converting the Qatar-provided aircraft to Air Force One standards would require significant upgrades costing an estimated $1 billion.

Clinton’s Criticism and Trump’s Defense

Hillary Clinton recently took to social media to criticize President Donald Trump’s acceptance of a Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar’s royal family. The aircraft, described as a “palace in the sky,” was acquired by Trump at no cost to taxpayers. Clinton expressed strong skepticism about the arrangement, writing: “No one gives someone a $400 million jet for free without expecting anything in return. Be serious.”

Hillary Clinton Rips Trump Over Qatar Plane, Gets Slapped With Reminder of the Gifts She Acceptedhttps://t.co/k9HY1p9FH2

— RedState (@RedState) May 14, 2025

President Trump has dismissed such concerns, arguing that rejecting the offer would be foolish and unnecessarily costly to American taxpayers. “Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE from a country that wants to reward us for a job well done,” Trump stated in defense of the acquisition.

Legal and Ethical Questions

The acquisition has raised significant constitutional and ethical questions. Department of Justice lawyers, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, have ruled that accepting the jet is legally permissible as it would eventually be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation. However, Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres has called the arrangement a “flying grift” and suggested it violates the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which prohibits federal officeholders from accepting gifts from foreign states.

Columbia Law School Professor Richard Briffault weighed in on the controversy, noting that if Trump retains ownership of the aircraft after his presidential term, “then it’s not really a gift to the United States at all” and would likely violate constitutional provisions. The professor added that such gifts are typically “designed to create good feelings for the recipient and to get some kind of reciprocity.”

Clinton’s Past Under Scrutiny

Clinton’s criticism has prompted many to highlight what they see as hypocrisy given her own history with foreign donations. The Clinton Foundation received a $1 million donation from Qatar in 2011 while she was serving as Secretary of State. This donation was not disclosed to the State Department, despite an agreement Clinton had with the Obama administration to report new or increased contributions from foreign governments.

Critics also point out that the Clinton Foundation accepted substantial donations from multiple Middle Eastern countries with questionable human rights records during her tenure as Secretary of State. Furthermore, as she prepared for her 2016 presidential run, Clinton lifted a ban on foreign government donations to her foundation, a move that raised eyebrows among political observers.

Practical Concerns About the Aircraft

Beyond the ethical debate, practical concerns have been raised about the costs and timeline required to retrofit the luxury jet to meet Air Force One standards. Experts estimate it could cost up to $1 billion and take several years to complete necessary upgrades, including secure communications, electromagnetic pulse shielding, and in-flight refueling capabilities. These modifications would require significant taxpayer investment despite the initial “free” acquisition.

“The Clinton Foundation is the Gold, Platinum, [and] Diamond standard for buying and selling influence,” said Jim Hanson.

Despite these concerns, Trump maintains that the acquisition represents a smart business decision that will ultimately benefit American taxpayers by saving hundreds of millions in procurement costs. As the debate continues, many Americans are left weighing the potential benefits of acquiring a free aircraft against the constitutional, ethical, and practical concerns that such an arrangement raises.