The Trump administration’s acceptance and defense of a recently gifted jet from the nation of Qatar has raised several concerns in the areas of ethics, legality, and national security. Personally, I believe this is a massive bad move (but a fully intentional one) from the Trump administration to accept, and further defend this gift from Qatar.

First of all, this sets a bad precedent ethically. We ought to (and already do) have safeguards in place to not accept gifts above a certain amount, most obviously so that someone can’t simply buy out the Presidency; but Trump’s addiction to luxury and willingness to ignore decency and precedent seems to pull the wool over his eyes.

On a national security level, I’m legitimately dumbfounded that this is happening. I can recall real-world stories of adversaries to the US hiding compromising items in gifts as simple as wooden carved seals, while Qatar might not inherently be an adversary of the United States, this seems like an awful choice from a security perspective, especially considering certain rumors that President Trump plans to make this a new Air Force One. The idea of a U.S. President flying in an aircraft gifted by a foreign nation introduces potential risks of espionage and surveillance.

Additionally, some commentators highlight Qatar's complex (to say the least) relationships in the Middle East, questioning the appropriateness of such a gift from a nation with a controversial history regarding support for certain groups.

Furthermore, the optics of accepting a second-hand luxury jet are viewed by many, like myself, unbecoming of the presidency, a symbol of our Nation’s prestige, flat out. Many like-minded people contend that relying on a foreign gift for such a crucial function diminishes this glorious American symbol and sends the wrong message to both allies and adversaries. Even some within the President's own political circles have voiced reservations, emphasizing the preference for an Air Force One that is unequivocally American-made. In essence, the critical opinion views this proposed gift as a confluence of ethical breaches, security vulnerabilities, and a symbolic Misstep.