Karoline Leavitt jokes that Trump’s gifted Qatari jet was sounding ‘much better’ after Air Force One scare | EUROtoday
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt joked about the advantages of Donald Trump’s gifted Qatari jet amid Air Force One’s technical difficulties.
Trump’s Air Force One jet was pressured to show again to Joint Base Andrews Tuesday night whereas en path to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The White House mentioned the aircraft suffered a “minor electrical issue” and circled about half-hour into the journey out of an “abundance of caution.”
Trump boarded one other aircraft round midnight and has since safely arrived in Davos.
As the problem unfolded, Leavitt joked to reporters {that a} Qatari jet sounded “much better,” in response to the Associated Press. The remark was a reference to the $400 million luxurious Boeing 747 jet Qatar gifted to the Trump administration final yr.
Trump defended the transfer in a Truth Social submit on the time, writing that it was a present “given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME!”
“It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years,” he added. “It will be used by our Government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive.”
The jet was accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations” and the Defense Department plans to “ensure proper security measures” on board, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell informed the Associated Press in May.
The jet may very well be prepared to be used as quickly as February, Trump mentioned final summer season.
Trump’s opponents have been fast to criticize the reward and lift moral issues. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer mentioned in May that it was a “stain on the office of the presidency” that “cannot go unanswered.”
This isn’t the primary time in current months {that a} member of the Trump administration has confronted aircraft troubles.
In February, Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Air Force aircraft returned to Washington, D.C., as a result of a “mechanical issue.” He was pressured to take one other aircraft to Germany for the Munich Security Conference.
A army aircraft with Hegseth on board additionally made an emergency touchdown within the U.Okay. in October as a result of a cracked windshield.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/karoline-leavitt-trump-qatari-jet-b2905005.html