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Zeeshan Aleem: Qatar Force One
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| Zeeshan Aleem: Qatar Force One |
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In defending the gift of a super luxury jumbo jet he's preparing to receive from the royal family of Qatar to use as Air Force One, President Donald Trump described it as a brilliant deal. Not for the American people, it isn't. The Boeing 747-8 jet is so lavish it is estimated to be worth around $400 million, and Jessica Levinson, a law professor at Loyola Law School and an MSNBC columnist, has said that "a gift of this size from a foreign government is unprecedented in our nation's history." Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar's media attaché to the U.S., said in a statement that the deal is not final, as "the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments" of the two countries' defense departments. After Democrats and some Republicans objected to the planned transfer of the "flying palace" as unconstitutional and corrupt, not to mention needing costly retrofitting, Trump suggested Democrats ought to be in awe of his deal-making abilities. The real offense, he said, would be paying for the plane. Contrary to Trump's insinuation that this is actually good for Americans, by accepting the luxe jet he'd be taking the American public for a ride. Read Zeeshan Aleem's full column here. |
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Have you ever bought cryptocurrency? |
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| Trump is slated to hold a dinner with the top holders of his $TRUMP cryptocurrency, raising concerns among some Senate Republicans about whether it's appropriate. |
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Trump shifted his focus to foreign policy over the last week. Apart from weighing in on conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the president also made news with his first state visit and a controversial potential deal. Here are some highlights from the last seven days: |
- Left for a trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the first state visit of his second term.
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- Prepared to accept a superluxury Boeing 707-8 jumbo jet from the royal family of Qatar, according to four sources familiar with the planning.
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- Paused most tariffs and trade barriers against China for 90 days after saying that the two countries had made an agreement.
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- Said that the White House is "actively looking" at suspending the writ of habeas corpus, per an interview with Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
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The news can feel overwhelming. But each week, we're highlighting a person, organization or movement that's sticking up for their principles or their fellow Americans. This week's challenger is staff at the Library of Congress. After firing the librarian of Congress, Trump announced that one of his former defense attorneys, Todd Blanche, would serve as the acting head of the Library of Congress along with other top administration officials. But as you might guess from the name, the library is not part of the executive branch of the federal government. When the officials showed up at what they presumed were their new offices, library staffers reportedly called the U.S. Capitol Police and their general counsel, who asked them to leave. Democrats are asking the library's inspector general to investigate the matter. Read more. |
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That's the new tariff on Chinese imports after a weekend of talks between the Trump administration and Chinese officials in Switzerland. It's only for 90 days, but Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hope it's the start of an even bigger deal. It is good news. Already, economists are cutting their forecasts for a recession. But let's also be clear that the person who brought us to the brink, and then pulled us back, is the same person: Donald Trump. Yes, 30% is better than 145%, but those costs will still be passed on to consumers. It's not just temperatures that will be rising this summer. Learn more. |
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— Stephanie Ruhle, host of The 11th Hour
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In the latest episode of "Main Justice," MSNBC Legal Analysts Andrew Weissmann and Mary McCord discuss how the courts have grown increasingly frustrated with the Trump administration's tactics, from its use of the Alien Enemies Act to attempts to threaten law firms. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe to MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts for an exclusive bonus episode of Main Justice taped in front of a live audience in Washington, D.C. |
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