Maga just can’t let this Statue of Liberty-Qatari plane comparison go, and the Treasury Secretary is the latest to be owned to the moon and back for it
The row over whether the US should accept a $400,000 luxury plane from Qatar, then transfer it to Donald Trump’s presidential library for his personal use, is unlikely to end anytime soon – unless the gift is debated in Congress, as required by the Emoluments Clause.
Dear Mainstream Media, please stop saying that some "experts have ethical concerns", or there is "political pushback" on Trump taking a $400 MILLION Jet airplane from #Qatar. NO, there is a Constitutional Ban on him doing so- it is called the foreign emoluments clause. Read it.
— Sophia A. Nelson (@IAmSophiaNelson) May 12, 2025
One concern voiced by many is that the gift may come with strings attached, and it was this point that Jake Tapper put to the US Secretary of State for the Treasury, Scott Bessent.
TAPPER: Even if Qatar isn't asking for anything in return now for the jet, that's a bill that could come do. Nobody in the world just gives a $400m jet to be nice.
BESSENT: Well, I don't know Jake. The French gave us the Statue of Liberty. pic.twitter.com/Cx5pdHLTj9
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 18, 2025
Bessent isn’t the first to make the comparison between the Qatari jet and the Statue of Liberty, of course. In fact, Maga can’t shut up about it.
For example, right-wing commentator Ann Coulter already tried to make the same point, getting thoroughly owned in the process.
Unsurprisingly, the same thing happened to Secretary Bessent.
1.
Clearly the same thing
When President Grover Cleveland wasn't living in the Statue of Liberty, he was enjoying it on his mantel
— RiotWomenn (@riotwomennn) May 18, 2025
2.
Bessent knows he is lying here. Both the Statue of Liberty and the Resolute Desk were gifts to the nation, remained the property of the US government and were accepted by an act of Congress.
Trump's bribe plane is none of those things https://t.co/4kqL2U2bnM
— Dem Saints (@LDS_Dems) May 18, 2025
3.
Did the Statue of Liberty come from Qatar?
Do we all get to fly on this Qatar jet like we all get to enjoy the Statue of Liberty?
No?
Okay, so stop making the comparison.
You sound stupid.
— Evan (@daviddunn177) May 15, 2025
4.
TAPPER: Nobody in the world just gives a $400m jet to be nice.
BESSENT: Well, I don't know Jake. The French gave us the Statue of Liberty.
I see Bessent put on his entire clown suit today.
— Maine (@TheMaineWonk) May 18, 2025
5.
1. The S of L was a gift to the country (the president did not expect to take it with him)
2. CONGRESS approved the gift through an 1877 Joint Resolution BEFORE it arrived.
3. Congress appropriated $56,000 through the Act of 1885 for assembly costs/maintenance. pic.twitter.com/kKYlSBc2lg— Tirah Att (@TirahAtt) May 18, 2025
6.
Scott Bessent just compared the Qatari jet gifted to Trump to the Statue of Liberty. Jake Tapper gave him a small clarification afterwards. Bessent's stupid comment demanded a full vocal dress down, but the media is just not up to the challenge of defending our Democracy.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) May 18, 2025
7.
The State of Liberty was accepted by Congress, dipshit. pic.twitter.com/zEDs8sZ1mi
— Buffy Summers (@MelodyJean1962) May 18, 2025
8.
The Statue of Liberty was a symbolic gift celebrating shared ideals—not a $400M luxury jet funneled through defense channels to bypass ethics laws. The Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act caps personal gifts to $480, while the Emoluments Clause explicitly bars officeholders from…
— DOGEai (@dogeai_gov) May 18, 2025
9.
That’s an unacceptable response. The Statue of Liberty is clearly different than a plane for the president’s personal use.
— Timothy Bellman (@Timothy_Bellman) May 18, 2025
10.
Everyone says Bessent is some kind of economic savant–a genius.
But what's it matter how smart, practical, sensible you are if you take orders from an imbecile like Trump and just carry the water without ever pushing back?
— Unvarnished Tooth (@YouWontFeelThis) May 18, 2025
11.
That’s interesting, because I’ve been inside the Statue of Liberty many times. Do I get to ride the plane? https://t.co/VBJXIz9Ayi
— River Oaks Problems (@RiverOaksPrblms) May 18, 2025
12.
Can't wait to take the family to see it. https://t.co/bpFdEzt7CC pic.twitter.com/lOBl1AdMjP
— The Angry Czeck (@angryczeck) May 18, 2025
13.
Uh huh…
But Grover Cleveland didn't promise to take it home with him when McKinley was elected.He is gaslighting.
Bessent is well educated and knows better.
He is being condescending to his and Trump's own base by trading on their gullibility.— John the Cliff Dweller (@STFUabtChicago) May 18, 2025
14.
Does @SecScottBessent no longer need his reputation? Imagine repeating nonesense like the Statue of Liberty equates to the 747 bribe and thinking anyone outside the WH will take you seriously.
— Hue (@huebeedoo) May 18, 2025
15.
I realize they think they’ve unlocked a cheat code with the Statue of Liberty thing but thousands of years of human history has taught us that not all gifts are created equal—people have very different reactions depending on what they get https://t.co/QxoiUPS5pU
— He-Hulk: Attorney at Law (@TrevvyTrev) May 18, 2025
16.
Scott Bessent just made MORON OF THE YEAR front runner. This guy reps our Country – and we wonder why it's becoming a SHITHOLE!!!
— The Hollywood Beagle (@BeagleDogFather) May 18, 2025
A lot of people, including Paul Valentine, are tired of the lazy comparison.
Is the Statue of Liberty line just the only one they have? They don't want to workshop anything else? https://t.co/YjZMiBJ2Mp
— Paul Valentine (@paulrvalentine) May 18, 2025
Apparently not.
That moron @MarkwayneMullin says he has zero issue with Trump accepting the $400M plane from Qatar because the Statue of Liberty was also a "gift"….ummm you idiot the Statue of Liberty was approved by Congress by a unanimous vote! pic.twitter.com/XjroA8K4Yk
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) May 16, 2025
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Source Aaron Rupar Image Wikimedia Commons, Screengrab
