President Donald Trump boarded the Qatari-gifted $400 million Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) 747 Jet on Wednesday before making his way to North Dakota in the aircraft’s maiden trip, leading to staunch criticism from Democratic lawmakers.
Elizabeth Warren, Gavin Newsom Slam Trump
Quoting a post by CBS News on the social media platform X, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) delivered sharp criticism of Trump, who said that the new Qatari jet replacing the Air Force One was “appropriate for a President,” and that there had “never been a plane like this,” hailing Qatar as an ally of the U.S. in the Middle East.
“Instead of signing the bipartisan bill to make housing more affordable, Donald Trump is taking a joy ride in his $400 million taxpayer-renovated Qatari jet,” Warren said in her post.
Instead of signing the bipartisan bill to make housing more affordable, Donald Trump is taking a joy ride in his $400 million taxpayer-renovated Qatari jet. https://t.co/jvIWbBEjIl
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) July 1, 2026
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) also slammed Trump over the Qatari jet. “Air Fraud One,” Newsom’s Press Office handle said, quoting a post by White House’s Director of Communications Steven Cheung, which showed pictures of the aircraft’s interiors.
Air Fraud One https://t.co/0XkkMEj8V8
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) July 1, 2026
Newsom had earlier criticized the jet amid affordability concerns in the U.S. as gas and grocery prices soar. Newsom’s Press Office called the jet a “flying palace.”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) had also slammed Trump over the jet, accusing the President of using taxpayer-funded resources to support his luxury projects.
Bernie Sanders Decries Trump’s Involvement With Middle East
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) also criticized Trump over the jet. “Trump is flying on a $400 million plane gifted to him by the royal family of Qatar,” Sanders said. He also said that the President got “$187 million from the UAE for his crypto firm,” while also making “billions in real estate deals with the royal family of Saudi Arabia.”
Sanders then asked whether Trump was really working for the America First policy. “America first? Really?” the Vermont Independent said.
Notably, Trump recently responded to the disclosures by World Liberty Financial, a Trump family venture, among others, showcasing $1 billion in cryptocurrency windfall.
While working families at home struggle, Trump is flying on a $400 million plane gifted to him by the royal family of Qatar, got $187 million from the UAE for his crypto firm & made billions in real estate deals with the royal family of Saudi Arabia.
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 1, 2026
America first? Really?
The FAA’s Supersonic Flight Reveal
Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced plans to allow civilian supersonic flights over the continental U.S., touting the setting up of noise-based certification standards and takeoff and landing noise standards.
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