Trump is overplaying his hand.
Not just by usurping the powers of Congress and ignoring Supreme Courtroom rulings. Not just abducting people who find themselves legally in the United States however have put their identify to opinion items Trump doesn’t like and trucking them off to “detention” amenities. Not just utilizing the Justice Division for private vengeance. Not just unilaterally deciding how a lot tariff tax American customers must pay on virtually the whole lot they purchase.
Polls present all these are tanking Trump’s reputation.
However one factor virtually all Individuals are firmly in opposition to — even many loyal Trumpers — us bribery. And Trump is taking greater and larger bribes.
Yesterday it was reported that he’s accepting a luxurious Boeing 747-8 aircraft value a minimum of $400 million from the Qatari royal household, to be used throughout his presidency and for his private use afterward.
Trump just can’t resist. He’s been salivating over the aircraft for months. It’s greater and newer than Air Drive One — and so opulently configured that it’s often called “a flying palace.” (No report on whether or not it incorporates a golden rest room.)
Apparently he’s been speaking about the aircraft for months. In February, he toured it whereas it was parked at Palm Seashore Worldwide Airport.
He’s tried to redecorate the White Home right into a palace however that’s not practically as satisfying as flying round the world in a single, particularly as soon as he’s left the White Home (assuming he’ll).
Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi mentioned it’s completely authorized for him to simply accept such a bribe, er, reward.
Hey?
The U.S. Structure clearly forbids officers of the United States from taking items from international governments. It’s known as the “emoluments clause.” (See Article I, Part 9.)
Anybody viewing Bondi as a impartial choose of what’s authorized and what’s not on the subject of Trump can’t be trusted to be a impartial choose of Bondi. Recall that she represented Trump in a felony continuing. Presumably he appointed her legal professional normal as a result of he knew she’d do and say something he needed.
Oh, and she or he used to foyer for Qatar.
So, what does Qatar get in return for the $400 million aircraft? What’s the quid for the quo?
This week Trump takes the first abroad journey of his second presidency. He’ll land in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, adopted by a go to to Qatar, after which to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E).
That’s an enormous increase for Qatar proper there.
Trump additionally just did what Qatar has been wanting achieved for years — asserting that the Persian Gulf (because it’s been identified since a minimum of 550 B.C.) will henceforth be often called the Arabian Gulf.
Trump’s firm has just introduced a brand new golf resort in Qatar, reportedly partnering with an organization owned by the royal household.
Qatar can be pushing the Trump regime to raise sanctions on Syria.
The payback might be any variety of issues. The one certainty is that you just and I and different Individuals received’t essentially profit.
This week’s journey to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the U.A.E. is as a lot a private enterprise journey for Trump and his household companies as a diplomatic journey.
Eric Trump, who formally runs the household enterprise, has just introduced plans for a Trump-branded lodge and tower in Dubai, a part of the U.A.E.
The Trump household’s developments in the Center East depend upon a Saudi-based actual property firm with shut ties to the Saudi authorities. Saudi Arabia has an extended checklist of urgent issues earlier than the United States, together with requests to purchase F-35 fighter jets and achieve entry to nuclear power technology.
Trump’s household crypto agency, World Liberty Monetary, introduced that its so-called “stablecoin” — with Trump’s likeness throughout it — might be utilized by the U.A.E. to make a $2 billion enterprise cope with Binance, the largest crypto alternate in the world. The deal will generate lots of of thousands and thousands of {dollars} extra for the Trump household.
I had assumed that Trump’s undoing can be his unquenchable thirst for energy. It might but be, however I’m starting to suppose his insatiable greed will do him in. America’s Grifter-in-Chief is aware of no bounds.
