Trump accepting largest gift in history to a US president, a luxury jet from Qatar

[whaletail]

On 5/22/2025 at 5:16 AM, Husker_Du said:

WKN, that's a separate issue/conversation.

what we're talking about (for the gazillionth time)

is your side pointing fingers over fake news. 

As thoughtful as you are regarding wrestling news, how can you possibly follow this story and conclude its fake news?

From a broader perspective, how can you possibly view Trump - and the entirety of the GOP - as anything but an incompetent, corrupt, and yes - fascist dumpster fire?

Admittedly, the Dems haven't done much to help themselves, and the unfolding story about Biden's decision to run for re-election while his mind was precipitously declining is devastating. That Democratic insiders actively tried to cover it up makes it even worse. Their ethics, and competence leaves much to be desired, and Biden - who actually appears to have been an excellent President, will die with his legacy in tatters.

And yeah, wokeism can sometimes get annoying. When the Dems want to show solidarity with displaced Indians by holding pow-wows in the Capitol building to lament the theft of Indian lands, with zero interest in giving back said land, all you can do is roll your eyes.

But at its core, beyond all the theatrics, woke only means one thing. A recognition that the world is unfair (and I guess the belief that government should function to improve the lives of the governed).

But to view Trump - and the current GOP - in anything remotely resembling a favorable light, you have to somehow explain away the following (just off the top of my head):

- The Trump University con that emphatically exposed his corruption back in 2015-16. TU was found civilly liable for, I think fraud and misrepresentation, etc., and while Trump was not running the place, I'm pretty sure he was shown to have been well aware of their business practices, and directly profited from them.

- His repeated business failures; from impulsively, repeatedly overspending on real estate (after the NYT obtained his tax returns from Mary Trump, they eventually published a 2018 article detailing his father's repeated bailouts, his own tax shenanigans, his business failings etc. The article authors eventually published the book Lucky Loser last year, and unsurprisingly, Trump has yet to file a defamation suit)

- statements from dozens of top officials from his first administration, detailing everything from his inability to read briefings longer than a paragraph, waking up at noon to watch Fox News all day, frequent tantrums when under any duress at all, complete unfamiliarity with how government functions, inability to keep from sharing sensitive, often classified info with others w/o security clearance, to how easily influenced he was by whatever that last person to speak with him said (the prime example being his first term China tariffs, and how they arose).

- his unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election, which were thrown out by 64 separate courts (the majority of which were right wing, many with Trump appointees). Not a single court validated any of his claims.

- the revelation that SCOTUS justices Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito had each accepted millions of dollars worth of gifts and luxury vacations from right wing business owners, many of whom had claims before the court, and all of whom had significant interest in maintaining influence with the court. Alito even had the gall to try and head off the news by writing a Washington Post editorial in which he argued that he didn't realize he needed to disclose such gifts, while also excoriating the public for attacking his integrity and not giving him the benefit of the doubt.

- Meanwhile, an upside American flag - which represents the claim that the 2020 election was stolen - flew at Alito's home for months. He claims it was his wife's doing, and that he didn't know about it. Multiple witnesses - including his own friends and neighbors - dispute this.

- Despite a Congressional subpoena, both justices refused to testify before lawmakers, and Chief Justice John Roberts refused to amend any of the court's related ethics rules.

- Trump's refusal to debate on 60 Minutes with fact checkers present, after every major news organization (including Fox News I think) noted his complete dishonesty during the first debate.

- While I'll admit most journalists are probably left leaning, they bend over backwards to appear unbiased. So much so that, for example, the NYT mentioned Biden's age and cognitive issues nearly twice as often as Trump's age, dishonesty, and propensity to aimlessly babble when answering questions. Meanwhile, Fox News, which has become the mainstream media, and is anything but unbiased. Documents revealed during the Dimension defamation suit showed network hosts - both editorial and news anchors - constantly agitating on-air about the election being stolen, while interoffice emails revealed they knew very well the election hadn't been stolen at all.

- The entire January 6th debacle, which sure appeared to be an attempted violent insurrection to me (and everybody else trapped in the building at the time, GOP members of Congress included), and the subsequent pardoning of every single individual involved.

I'm now worn out, but if needs must, I'll continue adding to the list tomorrow. Mind, I haven't even gotten past the 2020 election, and the above is just off the top of my head.

I'm genuinely curious how anyone can even begin to dismiss any single one the above issues, let alone all of them, as fake news. 

[Husker_Du]

that's a lot of words that don't address the very obvious fact that msm lies its ass off, including on this issue. 

[GreatWhiteNorth]

17 minutes ago, Husker_Du said:

that's a lot of words that don't address the very obvious fact that msm lies its ass off, including on this issue. 

Actually, it does a little bit. Not much, but a little.

It's a well written post.

You dismiss it under the guise that it's not about the topic that you are thinking about right now?

If you don't want to participate in the discussion, then ignore it. No need to make a dismissive, nonsense post.

If someone takes the time to write a well thought out post. Just let it go if there are too many words for you.

[whaletail]

2 hours ago, Husker_Du said:

that's a lot of words that don't address the very obvious fact that msm lies its ass off, including on this issue. 

Considering Fox News has become America's mainstream media, I agree. Well, I'm not sure their anchors outright lie, but their opinion hosts (Hannity et al.) absolutely do (see Dominion v. Fox News for details). And both their news anchors and op ed hosts aggressively promote right wing talking points, without any real attempt to be "fair and balanced".

MSNBC seems pretty left wing, but IMO they're nowhere near as partisan as Fox News. If you can point me to research etc. that suggests otherwise, I'll certainly read it.

I'm sure most reporters probably do lean left, but also bend over backwards to appear unbiased. Which is how we end up with the NYT mentioning Biden's age in a negative context much more often than Trump's age, propensity to babble, and even his constant dishonesty.

But if you don't realize that Fox News has become America's mainstream media, just look at their market share.

Edit: BTW, who has lied on this airplane issue, and how? And are you seriously claiming to suddenly believe an administration that has told two or three different stories about this plane since the story broke?

When Pam Biondi claims Abrego Gracia is an MS-13 gang member, without any evidence at all, do you believe her?

Do you believe her claims that the 2020 election was stolen, despite all 64 court cases being thrown out?

Trump's been gloating about owning this airplane from the beginning, and the admin has been trying to craft a narrative that somehow reconciles his claims with American law.

 

[WrestlingRasta]

4 hours ago, Husker_Du said:

that's a lot of words that don't address the very obvious fact that msm lies its ass off, including on this issue. 

Two very simple questions.

 Aside from using the terminology that the plane is being ‘donated’ to Trump, instead of the DoD…..even though it is for Trump and only Trump to ever use….where is the lying their asses off?   And is that ‘lie’ bigger than the lie that the ‘gifting’ of this plane is saving us taxpayers, you included, millions of dollars?  (It’s not saving you or me a penny, it’s costing us millions, and that’s from industry experts, not main stream media) 

[headshuck]

Like 50 or so “experts?” If I’m Trump I’d never set foot in this “modified” plane.

[WrestlingRasta]

10 minutes ago, headshuck said:

Like 50 or so “experts?” If I’m Trump I’d never set foot in this “modified” plane.

As long as they are saying it’s going to take to strip it down and build it back up to be serviceable for the President, he may never.  Or he may never set foot on it as the President, that is. 

[JimmySpeaks]

7 hours ago, GreatWhiteNorth said:

 No need to make a dismissive, nonsense post.

 

That’s all you do 

[lisa morales]

Melania accepts a large gift from Canada every day.  

[JimmySpeaks]

A Royal Mounty? 

[headshuck]

As long as they are saying it’s going to take to strip it down and build it back up to be serviceable for the President, he may never.  Or he may never set foot on it as the President, that is. 

Boeing should be scrutinized more then they are. Nobody would be talking about a needed gift aircraft if Boeing was performing.

[WrestlingRasta]

19 minutes ago, headshuck said:

Boeing should be scrutinized more then they are. Nobody would be talking about a needed gift aircraft if Boeing was performing.

That’s side stepping.  This isn’t a needed gifted aircraft.  Yes the new ones are taking longer than expected.  Totally separate topic of discussion.  This is nothing more than the President seeing the luxury of the terrorists….ehheemm….Arab royals, and wanting to keep up with the Jones’.  The plane has been for sale for five years and they haven’t been able to sell it.  The President wants fashion over function.  Which is why he’s going to make you and I and rest of the taxpayers pay millions and millions of dollars to retrofit this plane that no one in the world wants.  
 

John Q Public wasn’t even thinking about the new Boeing planes until the President told us to, because he wants gold faucets and marble floors, and figured out a way to make us pay for it.  
 

Nothing is free, especially when it comes to these people ruling some of the most oppressive places in the world. 

[headshuck]

yeah, one of the most luxurious jets in the world is sitting in a used car lot collecting dust. How do you know that someone isn’t already modifying that aircraft in hopes to try to entice Trump into accepting a luxury gift?

[Husker_Du]

4 hours ago, WrestlingRasta said:

Two very simple questions.

 Aside from using the terminology that the plane is being ‘donated’ to Trump, instead of the DoD…..even though it is for Trump and only Trump to ever use….where is the lying their asses off?   And is that ‘lie’ bigger than the lie that the ‘gifting’ of this plane is saving us taxpayers, you included, millions of dollars?  (It’s not saving you or me a penny, it’s costing us millions, and that’s from industry experts, not main stream media) 

The title of the thread, and the first post, is inaccurate.

based on an article that was inaccurate, and was repeated all over the media.

the plane is not being donated to Trump.

(side note: where are you reading that it is ONLY for trump to use? forever and ever?)

[headshuck]

And yes, I do believe Boeing is in a world of trouble across all fronts and may never deliver a presidential aircraft again.

[WrestlingRasta]

2 minutes ago, Husker_Du said:

The title of the thread, and the first post, is inaccurate.

based on an article that was inaccurate, and was repeated all over the media.

the plane is not being donated to Trump.

(side note: where are you reading that it is ONLY for trump to use? forever and ever?)

A) I mentioned in my post that it is being donated to the DoD, and asked how other than representing it being donated to Trump, (being that it will only be for his use) how are they “lying their asses off”

2) You failed to answer either of my questions.  Repeating what I already said is not answering any questions. 
 

III) It is coming from both Trump and his minions that the plane will be for use during his presidency only, then shortly before he leaves office will go to sit at his Presidential library. Hence all the talk that the plane is being donated to him, even though the official ‘transaction’ is to the DoD. 
 

Would you care to answer my questions now? 

[WrestlingRasta]

8 minutes ago, headshuck said:

yeah, one of the most luxurious jets in the world is sitting in a used car lot collecting dust. How do you know that someone isn’t already modifying that aircraft in hopes to try to entice Trump into accepting a luxury gift?

Where did I say any of that?  Can you stay on point and actually discuss or are you just going to keep sidestepping.  I said it’s been for sale for five years and they can’t find anyone who wants to buy it.   This is not hard to find information.  

[headshuck]

You said it was an old plane with its own problems up above. You haven’t been lied to enough by the government for four years that you’re willing to accept the latest rumors at face value?

[WrestlingRasta]

16 minutes ago, headshuck said:

You said it was an old plane with its own problems up above. You haven’t been lied to enough by the government for four years that you’re willing to accept the latest rumors at face value?

No. I am not believing what the government is telling us about this ‘transaction/donation’ at all.  Not even a little bit. 

[headshuck]

Could be a deal made behind the scenes. Qatar rids itself of the mothballed jet, Boeing buys time to complete the new AF1 order, Qatar gets a at least a $400m discount on the massive order of future Boeing jets. Trump with plays along with the “gift” announcement because he thinks it’s a reasonable deal.

https://x.com/i/grok/share/zoOTuzXnEUWgv73ZH0GTWBCfG

[El Luchador]

11 hours ago, whaletail said:

As thoughtful as you are regarding wrestling news, how can you possibly follow this story and conclude its fake news?

From a broader perspective, how can you possibly view Trump - and the entirety of the GOP - as anything but an incompetent, corrupt, and yes - fascist dumpster fire?

Admittedly, the Dems haven't done much to help themselves, and the unfolding story about Biden's decision to run for re-election while his mind was precipitously declining is devastating. That Democratic insiders actively tried to cover it up makes it even worse. Their ethics, and competence leaves much to be desired, and Biden - who actually appears to have been an excellent President, will die with his legacy in tatters.

And yeah, wokeism can sometimes get annoying. When the Dems want to show solidarity with displaced Indians by holding pow-wows in the Capitol building to lament the theft of Indian lands, with zero interest in giving back said land, all you can do is roll your eyes.

But at its core, beyond all the theatrics, woke only means one thing. A recognition that the world is unfair (and I guess the belief that government should function to improve the lives of the governed).

But to view Trump - and the current GOP - in anything remotely resembling a favorable light, you have to somehow explain away the following (just off the top of my head):

- The Trump University con that emphatically exposed his corruption back in 2015-16. TU was found civilly liable for, I think fraud and misrepresentation, etc., and while Trump was not running the place, I'm pretty sure he was shown to have been well aware of their business practices, and directly profited from them.

- His repeated business failures; from impulsively, repeatedly overspending on real estate (after the NYT obtained his tax returns from Mary Trump, they eventually published a 2018 article detailing his father's repeated bailouts, his own tax shenanigans, his business failings etc. The article authors eventually published the book Lucky Loser last year, and unsurprisingly, Trump has yet to file a defamation suit)

- statements from dozens of top officials from his first administration, detailing everything from his inability to read briefings longer than a paragraph, waking up at noon to watch Fox News all day, frequent tantrums when under any duress at all, complete unfamiliarity with how government functions, inability to keep from sharing sensitive, often classified info with others w/o security clearance, to how easily influenced he was by whatever that last person to speak with him said (the prime example being his first term China tariffs, and how they arose).

- his unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election, which were thrown out by 64 separate courts (the majority of which were right wing, many with Trump appointees). Not a single court validated any of his claims.

- the revelation that SCOTUS justices Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito had each accepted millions of dollars worth of gifts and luxury vacations from right wing business owners, many of whom had claims before the court, and all of whom had significant interest in maintaining influence with the court. Alito even had the gall to try and head off the news by writing a Washington Post editorial in which he argued that he didn't realize he needed to disclose such gifts, while also excoriating the public for attacking his integrity and not giving him the benefit of the doubt.

- Meanwhile, an upside American flag - which represents the claim that the 2020 election was stolen - flew at Alito's home for months. He claims it was his wife's doing, and that he didn't know about it. Multiple witnesses - including his own friends and neighbors - dispute this.

- Despite a Congressional subpoena, both justices refused to testify before lawmakers, and Chief Justice John Roberts refused to amend any of the court's related ethics rules.

- Trump's refusal to debate on 60 Minutes with fact checkers present, after every major news organization (including Fox News I think) noted his complete dishonesty during the first debate.

- While I'll admit most journalists are probably left leaning, they bend over backwards to appear unbiased. So much so that, for example, the NYT mentioned Biden's age and cognitive issues nearly twice as often as Trump's age, dishonesty, and propensity to aimlessly babble when answering questions. Meanwhile, Fox News, which has become the mainstream media, and is anything but unbiased. Documents revealed during the Dimension defamation suit showed network hosts - both editorial and news anchors - constantly agitating on-air about the election being stolen, while interoffice emails revealed they knew very well the election hadn't been stolen at all.

- The entire January 6th debacle, which sure appeared to be an attempted violent insurrection to me (and everybody else trapped in the building at the time, GOP members of Congress included), and the subsequent pardoning of every single individual involved.

I'm now worn out, but if needs must, I'll continue adding to the list tomorrow. Mind, I haven't even gotten past the 2020 election, and the above is just off the top of my head.

I'm genuinely curious how anyone can even begin to dismiss any single one the above issues, let alone all of them, as fake news. 

Well to pick a single issue the upside down flag represents a nation in distress. 

Would you like me to address more?

[GreatWhiteNorth]

On 5/26/2025 at 9:50 AM, El Luchador said:

Well to pick a single issue the upside down flag represents a nation in distress. 

Would you like me to address more?

Yes, address more! If you can address posts in thoughtful, factual, and meaningful way - then you should.

That is why we're all here (most of us - some sad sacks are here just to create chaos.)

I'll join in, here's what I read from the American Legion (I have a post a few blocks away that I visit regularly):

WASHINGTON — The veteran organization the American Legion weighed in on the upside-down American flag controversy on Thursday, noting that flags should only be flown this way if there is "extreme danger to life or property."

The potential implications of flying an American flag upside down have been the subject of debate since reports emerged that an upside-down flag flew outside Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito's home in early 2021. The justice said the flag was raised by his wife, Martha-Ann.

Some supporters of former President Donald Trump have also reportedly flown upside-down flags in support of the former president falsely claiming that the 2020 election was stolen, leading it to be interpreted as a "stop the steal" symbol.

"The American flag is a symbol of courage, strength, freedom and democracy," said the American Legion National Commander Daniel Seehafer in a statement to NBC News. "American Legion members swore with their lives to protect all that the flag stands for."

Seehafer pointed to the Flag Code, a detailed set of guidelines laying out how the American flag should be displayed, as evidence the flag should not be inverted unless to signal distress.

"Our organization also led the creation of the U.S. Flag Code, which includes the following: ‘The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property,’” Seehafer said.

Alito had told Fox News last month that his wife flew the upside-down flag after an argument with a neighbor. Martha-Ann Alito told The Washington Post in January 2021 that the upside-down flag was "an international signal of distress" and appeared to indicate it was raised in reference to a neighborhood argument.

[WrestlingRasta]

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5324368-trumps-qatar-jet-deal-pentagon/amp/
 

Some pretty interesting updates coming out the last 24 hours, a few points that stood out to me. (These points are being reported by a number of of media outlets) 

The plane has not yet transferred ownership as there are some legal and paperwork matters to be settled.  One of note, unfortunately for Sen Mullin and some of our hook line and sinker friends on here, is Qatar’s insistence on acknowledgement that it was the Trump administration who sought out and initiated this deal, and they have nothing to do with whatever happens to the plane after this Presidential term.  (I had asked a while back how exactly this deal is saving us tax payers money, haven’t seen anything whatsoever to verify that, seemingly it is very very much the opposite)
 

It is anticipated to cost around 1 billion dollars to have this plane ready for Presidential use. Not only is it a matter of the technology required, but there are also a number of general maintenance issues that are not up to par and need improvement. 
 

Due to all the work needed, it’s likely not going to be ready before the two Boeing’s already on order, possibly not even ready before the Presidents term is up.  
 

The plane is in the US, but work cannot begin until the above mentioned legal and paperwork matters are settled.  
 

Interesting. 

[headshuck]

Did TheHill have any thoughts re. the $96,000,000,000 deal the administration is brokering with Boeing and Qatar? These deals probably have some details to hash out.

[Saylors_Tiny_Willie]

Just now, headshuck said:

Did TheHill have any thoughts re. the $96,000,000,000 deal the administration is brokering with Boeing and Qatar? These deals probably have some details to hash out.

Is it possible for you to be less coherent?

You are the Pat Downey of posters.