President Trump said there is "something wrong" with Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) after he threatened to stonewall Justice Department nominees over Trump's acceptance of a free luxury jet from Qatar.
The White House has noted that the opulent gift is being donated to the Department of Defense and not Trump personally, although it would be transferred to Trump's presidential library at the end of his term.
As Trump traveled to Qatar for the second stop on his Middle East tour this week, which also brought him to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, he was asked about Schumer's threats to block Justice Department nominees.
Trump remarked that Schumer, who is Jewish, has "become a Palestinian" and suggested the longtime senator from Trump's home state of New York had "something wrong" with him.
"Schumer is Schumer," Trump said. "You know, he's become a Palestinian. Something wrong with him? I don't know, I've known him a long time and there's something wrong. He's lost his confidence, totally. And there's something wrong with him. I don't know what it is with Schumer."
Trump's remark that Schumer has "lost his confidence" would be seconded by many Democrats who say the senator has been timid about stopping Trump's sweeping agenda.
Schumer seized an opportunity to quiet his critics by pouncing at Trump over his "corrupt" foreign gift.
"News of the Qatari government gifting Donald Trump a $400 million private jet to use as Air Force One is so corrupt that even Putin would give a double take. This is not just naked corruption, it is also a grave national security threat," Schumer said on the Senate floor Tuesday.
Trump has said he would be foolish not to accept the Boeing 747 jet, estimated to be worth $400 million, while Boeing works on replacing Air Force One. The current fleet is over 30 years old, and Trump has complained about the slow pace of Boeing's progress.
"We're very disappointed that it's taking Boeing so long to build a new Air Force One," Trump said Monday morning. "You know, we have an Air Force One that's 40 years old. And if you take a look at that, compared to the new plane of the equivalent, you know, stature at the time, it's not even the same ballgame."
While opposition to Qatar's gift has come mostly from Democrats, Republicans in Congress have also expressed caution about the arrangement. Critics have speculated that Qatar is trying to buy influence, while some have raised concerns about possible espionage.
Trump traveled to the Gulf states this week to secure investments in the U.S. and promote his vision for peace and stability in the Middle East. It was his first major foreign trip since returning to the White House.
The president was lavishly entertained by his oil-rich Arab hosts, with a parade of camels greeting his motorcade in Qatar after he touched down. "We appreciate those camels," Trump said.
While in Qatar, Trump announced that Boeing had secured a record order of 210 jets from Qatar Airways for $96 billion. The White House estimates the sale will generate 154,000 jobs in the U.S. annually.
