Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced Tuesday that he is placing a hold on all political nominees to the Department of Justice, following reports that the Trump administration intends to accept a luxury aircraft from Qatar to be used as Air Force One.
"In light of the deeply troubling news of a possible Qatari-funded Air Force One, and the reports that the Attorney General personally signed off on this clearly unethical deal, I am announcing a hold on all DOJ political nominees, until we get more answers," Schumer said on the Senate floor.
Schumer raised a series of concerns regarding the legality and national security implications of the arrangement, noting that President Trump referred to the plane as a "free jet."
"Does that mean the Qataris are delivering a ready-on-day-one plane with all the security measures already built in?" Schumer asked. "If this is, as President Trump promised, a free jet, will the Qataris pay for those highly sensitive installations, or will American taxpayers cover the cost?"
While Schumer's move cannot outright block nominees, it allows him to delay their confirmation, adding pressure on the administration. The Department of Justice reportedly issued a legal memo deeming the gift acceptable, a document approved by Attorney General Pam Bondi. However, the DOJ has declined to make the memo public.
Schumer is calling for Bondi to testify before Congress, stating: "The Attorney General must testify before both the House and Senate to explain why gifting Donald Trump a private jet does not violate the emoluments clause, which requires congressional approval, or any other ethics laws."
Critics from both sides of the aisle have questioned the optics and legality of the deal, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) warning the jet "poses significant espionage and surveillance problems."
President Trump, speaking to reporters before departing for the Middle East, defended the decision, saying, "I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer."
The controversy deepens amid concerns over Bondi's prior lobbying ties to Qatar and comparisons to historical incidents involving foreign gifts embedded with surveillance tools. Lawmakers continue to press for clarity on what they view as an extraordinary and potentially compromising gesture from a foreign government. Qatar is also widely recognized as a major sponsor of Hamas, further intensifying concerns over national security and the appropriateness of accepting such a gift.