President Donald Trump reportedly is ready during his Middle East trip this week to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the ruling family of Qatar, a plane U.S. officials say could be converted into a potential presidential aircraft. We take a look at the plane plans and Trump’s ties to Qatar. Welcome to this week’s edition of AP Ground Game. |
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) |
Qatar says no final decision made on gifting Trump a jet to use as Air Force One |
The Qatari government acknowledged discussions between the two countries about “the possible transfer” of a plane to be used temporarily as Trump’s Air Force One but denied that a final decision had been made. ABC News reported Trump will use the aircraft at his presidential plane until shortly before he leaves office in January 2029, when ownership will be transferred to the foundation overseeing his yet-to-be-built presidential library. Hours after the news, Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché, called the reports “inaccurate,” saying such action "remains under review by the respective legal departments.” Meanwhile, according to ABC, administration officials have prepared an analysis arguing that doing so would be legal. The Constitution’s Emoluments Clause bars anyone holding government office from accepting any present, emolument, office or title from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” without congressional consent. Air Force One is a modified Boeing 747. Two exist, are more than 30 years old, and the president flies on both. Boeing Inc. has the contract to produce updated versions, but delivery has been delayed while the company has lost billions of dollars on the project. Trump intends to convert the Qatari aircraft into a plane he can fly on as president, with the Air Force planning to add secure communications and other classified elements. But it will still have more limited capabilities than the existing planes that were built to serve as Air Force One, as well as two other aircraft currently under construction, according to a former U.S. official briefed about the plane and speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans not yet public. Read more. |
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Of note: The Trump Organization, now largely run by Trump's two older sons, has vast and growing interests in the Middle East. They include a new deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, partnering with Qatari Diar, a real estate company backed by that country’s sovereign wealth fund. |
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States compete for top billing on Democrats' 2028 election calendar |
Before they can name their next presidential nominee, Democrats will have to decide which state will weigh in first. In 2022, President Joe Biden forced a shake-up of the 2024 election calendar, moving South Carolina's primary ahead of contests in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. Officials in those traditionally early-voting states – plus others – are positioning themselves to get top billing nearly two years before the Democratic National Committee solidifies the order. It's a fraught choice for a party already wrestling with questions about its direction after losing November's White House election. Each state offers advantages to different candidates and elevates — or diminishes — different parts of the Democratic base. For now, 2028 prospects are making early-state visits, giving a glimpse into what they may see as their own path to the nomination. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was the keynote speaker at New Hampshire Democrats’ dinner last month, visiting a majority white state known for its engaged electorate and independent streak. Gov. Wes Moore, Maryland’s first Black governor, will appear later this month at a similar event in South Carolina, where Black voters are the party's most influential voting group. Pete Buttigieg will join a VoteVets Action Fund gathering in Iowa on Tuesday, marking the former presidential candidate's first public in-person event since leaving his post as Biden's transportation secretary. Buttigieg performed well in the 2020 caucuses, which were marred by technical glitches that prevented the declaration of a winner. Read more. |
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Of note: South Carolina Democrats seek another turn at No. 1, whereas New Hampshire law requires its primary to be scheduled before any other similar contest. Nevada’s Democratic leaders have been pushing to keep their state early in the nominating conversation, and many Iowa Democrats believe the presidential nominating process is well served by their state's early role in it. |
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Republicans wrestle with their economic priorities in the Trump era |
What the Republican Party stands for in terms of economic policy in the second Trump administration is a question reaching an inflection point. Is it the party that promotes free-market prosperity or a 21st-century populism? Does it stick with the “no new taxes” pledge that has been GOP political orthodoxy for decades, or do Republicans tax the rich, as Trump suggests? Roll back the Obama-era's health care expansion, and Biden’s green energy investments, or protect the federal flow of investment dollars generating jobs in the states? Slash deficit spending, or spike the nation’s now $36 trillion debt load? Free trade or Trump’s tariffs? As House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans race to draft Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” of $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $1.5 trillion in spending cuts, the final product will set the party on a defining path. It’s still a work in progress. Read more. |
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Of note: The GOP is transforming from a party that once put a premium on lower taxes and smaller government into something more reflective of the interests of the working-class coalition that depends on the federal safety net and put Trump in the White House. |
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A flag from the United States waves in the crowd as Pope Leo XIV appears at the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica for his first Sunday blessing after his election, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) |
- Trump heads to the Middle East this week, with official meetings in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
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