Former Vice President Mike Pence said it’s a “bad idea” for President Donald Trump to accept a $400 million luxury jet from Qatar to use as the next Air Force One.
Pence was interviewed by NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Friday in a “Meet the Press” segment scheduled to air on Sunday. Asked about the jet ― a gift that Trump has defended amid criticisms that it appears to be a blatant bribe ― Pence said Qatar has a history of “playing both sides.”
“Well, I think first we’ve got to remember who Qatar is,” Pence told Welker. “We’ve got a military base there. I have members of our immediate family that have deployed to the region, but Qatar has a long history of playing both sides. They support Hamas. They supported al Qaeda.”
Pence said accepting an Air Force One from Qatar would be “inconsistent” with the U.S.’s security and intelligence needs.
“And my hope is the president reconsiders it,” Pence added. “I think if Qatar wants to make a gift to the United States, they ought to. They ought to take that $400 million and plow it into infrastructure on their military base.”
