Donald Trump lashes out at Reporter over $400M jet donation by Qatar – This is his response

US President Donald Trump sharply rebuked ABC News reporter on Monday (May 12) after she raised concerns about whether a $400 million luxury jet, donated by Qatar’s royal family to the Pentagon, could be seen as a personal gift to him.

The confrontation occurred during a press event at the White House when reporter Rachel Scott questioned the potential optics of the donation.

Trump’s outburst to Reporter

Scott asked, “What do you say to people who view that luxury jet as a personal gift to you?” Trump responded by accusing ABC News of spreading fake news and criticised the reporter’s line of questioning. "You're ABC Fake News, right?" he said before continuing, "Let me tell you, you should be embarrassed asking that question. They're giving us a free jet. I could say, 'No, no, no, don’t give us. I want to pay you a billion, or 400 million, or whatever it is.' Or I could say thank you very much, you know?"

Trump likened the situation to a scenario in sports, mentioning legendary golfer Sam Snead, who would always accept a “gimme” putt from a competitor. “A lot of people are stupid,” Trump added. "They say, ‘No, no, I insist on putting it.’ And then they putt it and they miss it … When they give you a putt, you pick it up, and you walk to the next hole, and you say, ‘Thank you very much.’"

Further defense of the donation

When Scott followed up, asking if Trump, as a businessman, had ever received a gift worth millions of dollars without some expectation of reciprocity, the president responded: "It's not a gift to me. It's a gift to the Department of Defense, and you should know better, because you've been embarrassed enough, and so has your network. Your network is a disaster. ABC is a disaster."

Trump reiterated that the donation of the 747 aircraft was made to the Department of Defense, not to him personally. He added that the jet would be used temporarily as Air Force One, replacing the aging fleet until a new Air Force One, contracted with Boeing, is delivered. The new fleet has faced delays, contributing to the Pentagon’s decision to accept the Qataris’ donation.

Trump takes to Truth Social to double down

On Sunday evening, Trump confirmed on Truth Social that the Department of Defense would accept the jet as a gift from Qatar’s royal family, attacking critics, particularly Democrats, who had voiced concerns. "So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane," Trump wrote. "Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA."

Boeing’s delayed Air Force One contract

Boeing has been contracted to produce updated versions of Air Force One, but the company has experienced significant delays in delivering the aircraft. These delays, alongside financial losses associated with the project, have led to the temporary acceptance of the Qatar-donated jet as a stand-in.

Trump intends to convert the jet into a suitable plane for presidential travel, with the US Air Force planning to make modifications to ensure it meets the security and communication requirements for the office of the president.