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Attorney General Pam Bondi's links to Qatar are under scrutiny again following reports that President Donald Trump will be gifted a luxury plane from the Qatari government.
Bondi worked as a foreign lobbyist for the nation of Qatar, earning $115,000 a month in the role which she held in 2020 and in the run up to the World Cup in 2022.
In this role, she lobbied Congress on behalf of Qatari interests. She also worked in a separate lobbying position for the Washington, D.C.-based firm Ballard Partners, where she also lobbied on behalf of Qatari interests and several conglomerates including Amazon.
Her links to Qatar were previously raised by Democratic members of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary in January, who accused Bondi of failing to disclose her ties to the nation.
They are being brought to public attention again, following reports that the Qatari government is working on providing the president with a plane referred to as a "floating palace" for "temporary use as Air Force One."
The Department of Justice has been contacted for comment.
Why It Matters
The plan for Trump to receive a $400 million luxury Boeing 747-8 from Qatar—the so-called "flying palace"—has unleashed new waves of legal concerns over the legality and ethics of such foreign government gifts.
As attorney general, Bondi's prior history as a lobbyist for Qatar has compounded concerns over foreign influence at the highest level of government. Additionally, Bondi is supposed to work as the top legal officer for the United States, not only for the president, and her ties to Qatar raise concerns over whether she will adequately pursue whether the acceptance of this plane is legal.
What To Know
Negotiations are ongoing between the U.S. and Qatari defense ministries concerning the temporary transfer of a 747-8 jet, described as both opulent and technologically advanced, for presidential use.
After presidential service, the aircraft would be handed over to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation by 2029, with the U.S. Air Force bearing transfer and refit costs, according to NBC News.
Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar's media attaché to the U.S., told Newsweek on May 11 that "the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments and no decision has been made."
Bondi, along with DOJ lawyers, contend the arrangement is legal if routed through the Defense Department and that it sidesteps constitutional and bribery statutes because the gift is not tied to a specific official act.
Bondi is not the only member of the Trump administration with business ties to the Middle East. The Trump real estate organization, now led by the president's sons, operates properties and developments in Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
What People Are Saying
Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott said on X, formerly Twitter: "The DOJ memo approving Trump's Qatari jet? Written by Pam Bondi. Her last job? Lobbying for Qatar." He accompanied the post with a screenshot of a signed consulting agreement between Bondi and the Qatari embassy.
Trump ally and far-right activist Laura Loomer, using a nickname for Bondi, said in a post on X: "Not only will the President of the United States be flying around on a $400 million jet paid for by Qatar, but don't forget, our own US Attorney General Pam Blondi was once a registered foreign lobbyist on behalf of Qatar. Blondi was compensated $115,000 per month by Qatar."
AJ Delgado, a senior adviser for the Trump 2016 presidential campaign, said on X: "Recent Qatar lobbyist PAM BONDI has determined that it's legal for Qatar to give Trump a $400 million gift. Seems legit."
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws."
Norm Eisen, a former ethics counsel, told The Washington Post: "This rule that presidents cannot take the equivalent of 400 million bucks in cash from a foreign government was so important, that it's the only ethics and conflicts rule that was put directly in the Constitution by the founders and the framers."
Ali Al-Ansari told Newsweek: "The possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar's Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Department of Defense, but the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made."
What Happens Next
Trump's upcoming Middle East trip, which includes a scheduled stop in Qatar, may offer further clarity or spark additional controversy.
Meanwhile, Pam Bondi's past dealings with Qatar are likely to remain in the spotlight as the administration grapples with both legal formalities and public scrutiny over potential foreign influence and ethical boundaries.
Update, 5/12/2025, 08:15 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information
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About the writer
Sophie Grace Clark is a Live News reporter based in London, with a focus on crime stories. She has also ... Read more