Trump’s Qatari Plane & Our Constitutional Crisis
Over the weekend, we welcomed the news that the last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, would be released after 584 days in captivity. In the past few hours, we’ve been relieved and grateful to see Edan return to Israel, where he will be reunited with family after 19 months. We are praying for his good health.
Also over the weekend, we learned that in a brazen act of corruption, Donald Trump plans to accept a private plane from the Qatari government, which is unprecedented and deeply alarming. This is not just a lapse in judgment or another breach of norms – it’s a direct violation of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause, which prohibits presidents from accepting gifts or payments from foreign governments without the consent of Congress.
This is more than a scandal – it’s another step in our ongoing constitutional crisis. Clearly, Donald Trump doesn’t believe that the Constitution applies to him, though no one – including the president – is above the law.
Trump’s acceptance of an aircraft from Qatar underscores how foreign powers continue to curry favor by appealing to the president’s self-interest, which appears to take precedence over the interests of the American people and those of our allies, including Israel. This is exactly the point I made in my op-ed on Friday: Donald Trump’s “America First” Foreign Policy Puts Israel Last. As I wrote:
“With evidence suggesting that Trump is using the presidency for his personal gain, one should not overlook what has been lost in America’s approach to the Middle East since Trump reentered the White House. Trump’s choice not to visit Israel on his trip to the region, despite Israeli requests that he do so, demonstrates that he’s neglecting Israel’s interests for his own.”
Sincerely,
Halie Soifer
CEO, Jewish Democratic Council of America