Congressional Democrats criticized the president’s plan to accept a $400 million Boeing 747 from Qatar’s royal family on behalf of the Air Force.
WASHINGTON – A Democrat senator said he would force a vote to sell arms with a country with personal business ties with President Donald Trump.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he would attempt to block the sale of arms to such countries, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“We will block arms sales to countries that have direct personal business with Trump,” Murphy wrote on social media platform X on May 12th.
Congressional Democrats criticized Trump for his plan to accept a $400 million Boeing 747 aircraft from the Qatar royal family.
Democrats also rebuked Trump and his family, especially his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.
Trump traveled to the Middle East this week and stopped in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, where he plans to announce an arms deal.
Normally, military sales are not voted in Congress, but senators can force a vote by denying unanimous consent on the motion. An unanimous refusal to consent means it will take longer for the Senate to approve these sales.
“The Senators can oppose and force a full debate and Senate vote. I do that for a military contract with a country that personally pays Trump back. We cannot act this way.
The United States has long-standing military ties with both countries. Qatar has allowed the US Air Force to use Aldeid Air Base to project electricity in the Middle East, making it the largest US military base in the region. The UAE provides “critical logistics support” to US naval vessels entering the Persian Gulf, according to the US State Department, making it the largest naval port outside the United States.
Foreign military sales in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates total $26.3 billion and $29 billion, respectively.
Both countries’ diplomatic missions to the United States did not respond to requests for comment on each publication time.
Trump defends his plan to accept the 747 jet from Qatar, showing that he has no financial interest in the deal.
“The Department of Defense has received free gifts from 747 aircraft to temporarily replace the 40-year-old Air Force with a very public and transparent transaction,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social Platform on May 11.
