Maine Senator Susan Collins is the latest Republican to come out against President Trump’s decision to accept a jet from the royal family of Qatar, and she’s not holding back with her criticism.
“The transaction strikes me as being rife with political espionage, ethical and constitutional problems,” Collins said in an interview with NBC News late Thursday.
Collins joined members of both parties with legal and ethical concerns over Trump’s plan to transfer the $400 million plane to his presidential library at the end of his term.
She also brought up security concerns with the plane. “The plane would have to be thoroughly scrubbed to ensure that listening devices had not been implanted. That would take a great deal of time, to make sure that it meets the security standards that the president needs,” Collins told NBC News.
“Ultimately, I don’t understand why we would pursue this for the new aircraft that the president needs.”
Collins said that while she understands Trump’s “frustration” with Boeing taking a long time to produce a new presidential plane, she does not think a gift jet is the right solution.
