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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
John Bowden

‘The French gave us the Statue of Liberty’: Trump officials sputter to defend $400m Qatar jet gift

Donald Trump Steve Witkoff United States Qatar White House Jake Tapper Scott Bessent Rand Paul Republican Boeing
US envoy Steve Witkoff questioned how anyone could perceive a gift worth $400m to the president as a bribe - (Twitter: This Week ABC)

Two top administration officials took turns defending Donald Trump’s decision to accept a $400m jet as a “gift” from the Qatari royal family on Sunday.

Steve Witkoff and Scott Bessent appeared for separate interviews on ABC’s This Week and CNN’s State of the Union, where both offered similar defenses for an exchange that even Republican senators and House members have openly said carries the optics of bribery.

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