‘NO MORE QUESTIONS FROM YOU’: The Pentagon had just announced yesterday that it had accepted the luxury Boeing 747 from Qatar for use as Donald Trump’s new Air Force One, when the president was holding court in the Oval Office with visiting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
When it came time for questions, NBC’s Peter Alexander had the temerity to attempt to ask Trump about the announcement, triggering an angry outburst in which Trump called Alexander a “jerk” while delivering an ad hominem broadside against the big three over-the-air networks ABC, NBC, and CBS labeling all of them “horrible” and “fake news.”
“You know you ought to get out of here. What does this have to do with a Qatari jet?” Trump asked, cutting Alexander off before he could even get the question out. “They’re giving the United States Air Force a jet, OK? And it’s a great thing.”
Then Trump made it personal. “You don’t have what it takes to be a reporter. You’re not smart enough,” he said. “You ought to go back to your studio at NBC because [Comcast CEO] Brian Roberts and the people that run that place, they ought to be investigated.”
“You’re a terrible reporter,” he said. “You’re a disgrace. No more questions from you.”
GIFT OR GRIFT? NBC may be getting no more questions, but Democrats in Congress have many.
In a letter to U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, outlined a long list of concerns about what he called an “unconstitutional attempt to accept the outrageously expensive foreign gift without first seeking the consent of Congress,” as required by the emoluments clause.
“Trump has been publicly suggesting that the Qatari royal family’s offer to provide him with a $400 million ‘flying palace’ was a generous gift, a ‘very nice gesture,’ and a ‘free, very expensive airplane,’” Raskin wrote. “However, recent press reports indicate that this plane was no gift at all, but instead a coerced offering after a months-long pressure campaign that both of you were intimately involved with.”
Raskin cited reports from the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal that Witkoff was tasked with “finding a list of viable planes” and that Hegseth directed Pentagon officials to engage with Qatar about obtaining an “ultra-luxury plane.”
“In February, the Qatari government flew the plane to the United States at an estimated cost of $1 million or more, so President Trump could inspect the plane at the Palm Beach International Airport,” Raskin wrote. “Weeks before the President traveled to the Middle East where Qatari royals purportedly decided to ‘offer’ him this plane, the Trump Administration had already contracted with Florida-based L3Harris Technologies, Inc., to overhaul the plane for use as Air Force One.”
“The American people deserve to know whether Donald Trump is using the presidency to shake down foreign governments for his personal financial gain, violating the Constitution, and his oath of office in the process,” Rankin said.
A PIE CRUST PROMISE? Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted the Qatari Boeing 747-8 — a longer, widebody version of the jet — “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations” and that the Defense Department would “work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the president.”
Trump continued to insist the free plane was not a gift to him but rather a government-to-government transfer to the U.S. Air Force. “Why did a country give an airplane to the United States Air Force? Trump said. “Not to me, to the United States Air Force — so they could help us out because we need an Air Force One.”
Experts keep saying that required upgrades will cost hundreds of millions of dollars and take years, but Politico reported that the plane has been parked in San Antonio, Texas, for weeks and is “likely undergoing some preliminary assessments and work.”
Whether it takes as long and costs as much will depend on whether Trump waives many of the requirements that make Air Force One a flying command center, such as EMP shielding and air defenses. Trump may well decide to leave most of the sumptuous luxury appointments in place, including two bedrooms, entertainment and meeting rooms, and a beige and cream-colored interior created by the Parisian design house Cabinet Pinto that features furnishings made of sycamore and wacapou wood, silk fabrics, and natural leather.
Another concern is Trump’s public statement that the deal specified the plane would go to his presidential library after he leaves office, which would make it available for use by him and his family, a clear violation of the emoluments clause.
Trump has stated that he has no plans to use the plane after he’s no longer president, but that, as Mary Poppins would say, is a pie crust promise. “Easily made, easily broken.”
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Good Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre.
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HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth travels to Fort Bragg, N.C., to give remarks during the 82nd Airborne Division All American Week Review, a formal pass-in-review ceremony. The secretary will also visit Army Special Operations Units and the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School to observe training and facilities. Live coverage on the Pentagon website at 10:20 a.m.
THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL PASSES: After another all-night session, the House voted just before 7 a.m. to approve President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” sweeping tax and spending measure by the narrowest of margins 215-to-214, with one member Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) voting present.
All Democrats and two Republicans voted no.
The bill — which still faces a test in the Senate — would enact many of Trump’s campaign promises, such as eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, boosting border security, and providing a $150 billion cash infusion to the Pentagon.
HOUSE PASSES LANDMARK ‘ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’ TO DELIVER TRUMP’S TAX CUTS
TRUMP ON UKRAINE: ‘IT’S NOT OUR WAR’: Frustrated with his inability to deliver on his promise to bring the war in Ukraine to an end quickly and unwilling to place the blame on the intransigence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Trump is increasingly showing signs he’s ready to give up on the peace process.
“We’re trying to settle Russia-Ukraine,” Trump said yesterday during his Oval Office session with South Africa’s president. “We’re trying to help, [but] it doesn’t affect us, it’s not our people, it’s not our soldiers …it’s Ukraine and it’s Russia.”
Despite the fact that Putin has rejected every Trump initiative, and Russian media is cheering Putin’s ability to stick to his original demands for Ukraine’s surrender, Trump contends he made “big progress” in his two-hour call with Putin this week.
“I’m working with Russia and Ukraine. I don’t have to do that. It’s not our war. It was started by other people. It was helped along by our past administration,” Trump said. “Five thousand people are being killed a week, 5,000 soldiers a week. If we can save 5,000 souls, we’ll do it. You know, we’re pretty good at it. But it’s a bad situation … a really bad situation.”
RUBIO: WAITING ON PUTIN: In testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee, Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the current “state of play” in the war as a “protracted stalemate” in which “Russia wants what they do not have … to conquer lands they do not currently occupy, and Ukraine wants what they cannot get, which is pushing Russia all the way back to the lines in 2014.”
“That’s why you’re seeing these long-range strikes. Since they can only make small advances in one direction or another on the front lines, they launch UAVs, and they launch drones, and they launch rockets into populated areas far from the battlefield and inflict tremendous harm as we see every single night,” Rubio said. “The President has wanted to preserve our opportunity to be able to engage with both sides of this debate, and that’s what we’ve done.”
“We hope we can have a peace deal. Again, it’s difficult. The Russians are supposed to produce a document or a memorandum of peace, as they’ve called it, in the next few days that will outline what they will require for a ceasefire that can then lead to a broader negotiation, and then a final settlement,” Rubio said. “I think we’ll learn a lot from what that memorandum of peace contains. If it’s reasonable, then I think we’ve made progress. If it’s not, then I think we’re not any closer here. The President will have options available to him.”
Rubio said Trump has additional sanctions he can impose and added that he, Rubio, has “directly reminded” the Russians that, at some point, Congress will lose patience and impose sanctions that would be even more crippling than what the President can do on his own.
In a post on X, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said his “hard-hitting” Russian sanctions bill, cosponsored by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-NY), has 81 cosponsors.
GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! The White House has announced the details of next month’s “Grand Military Parade and Celebration,” which will honor the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army. The parade will run for three hours on Saturday, June 14, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The parade will begin at 15th Street, just south of the White House, and proceed on Constitution Ave. for eight blocks, ending near the State Department and the Lincoln Memorial at 23rd Street.
“Tanks and heavy vehicles from Fort Cavazos, Texas, are being loaded onto trains and heading to the nation’s capital,” according to Stars and Stripes, which reports the Army is bringing about 6,700 troops from every Army division, 150 vehicles, and more than 50 aircraft for the event.
The Army said the cost for the parade and other events will be between $25 and $45 million, and that steel plates and new track pads for the tanks will limit any damage to roads. The Army is not expecting any damage to Constitution Avenue, but a spokesman said the Army would cover the costs of any repairs.
“The parade will trace the Army’s evolution from the Revolutionary War through to the U.S. Army of Tomorrow. Attendees will experience 250 years of Army heritage through historical U.S. Army personnel reenactors, period-accurate equipment, vehicles, impressive flyovers, and military bands participating in this landmark event,” the White House said in a release. “The event is designed not only to showcase the Army’s modern capabilities but also to inspire a new generation to embrace the spirit of service, resilience, and leadership that defines the United States.
The White House notes that the Army is on track to meet its annual recruiting goals, with more than 85% of its fiscal year 2025 target already achieved. Tickets are available at https://america250.org
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THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: Pentagon accepts Qatari aircraft to be next Air Force One
Washington Examiner: Pentagon working to improve effects of moving on military families
Washington Examiner: Romanian right wing demands election be annulled, citing ‘irrefutable evidence’ of foreign influence
Washington Examiner: Border Patrol using technology to ‘wall’ off Canadian border
Washington Examiner: Adm. Kevin Lunday tapped to lead Coast Guard following temporary stint, Noem confirms
Washington Examiner: Gunman accused of killing two Israelis in DC chanted ‘Free Palestine’ while in police custody
Washington Examiner: Musk glares at South African president in meeting where Trump accused country of racial discrimination
Washington Examiner: Taiwan to strengthen defenses in preparation for escalations as China goes AWOL on peace talks
Washington Examiner: Opinion: Trump plays good cop, Europe plays bad cop with Russia and Israel
Washington Examiner: Opinion: Will Iran kill nuclear negotiations with terrorist attacks in the West?
Inside Defense: MDA Unveils $151 Billion SHIELD Plan to Advance Golden Dome
Breaking Defense: Integration On Virginia-Class Subs the ‘Greatest Risk’ for Nuclear Sea-Launched Cruise Missile: Navy Official
Washington Post: North Korea’s Kim Jong Un irate after destroyer is damaged during launch
Air & Space Forces Magazine: More B-21s May Be Necessary If B-52J Upgrade Goes Awry, Allvin Says
SpaceNews: Space Force and NGA Move to End Turf Disputes with New Intelligence Agreement
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Can Spacecraft Sweat? New Tech Could Make Them Reusable
Breaking Defense: Saudi Arabia in Talks to Buy as Many as 200 MQ-9 Drones, General Atomics Says
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Conducts Test Launch of Minuteman III ICBM
Colorado Springs Gazette: Air Force Secretary to Speak at Air Force Academy Graduation
New York Times: Pete Hegseth Leads Christian Prayer Service in the Pentagon
Defense News: Army Air Defense Systems Deploy to the Arctic, Africa for First Time
The War Zone: F-15E Strike Eagles to Leave England for Good
Fox News: Air Force F-16 Struck by Drone During Training Flight Over Arizona in 2023
Stars and Stripes: Payment Delays, Staff Cuts Impede VA Programs That Fund Home and Car Modifications for Disabled Veterans, Advocates Say
War on the Rocks: Opinion: Russia Can Afford to Take a Beating in Ukraine
THE CALENDAR:
THURSDAY | MAY 22
8:30 a.m. 151 St. George Blvd., Oxon Hill, Maryland — Defense Strategies Institute Assured Logistics Summit, with Lt. Col. Boyd Miller, J-4 principal director, Joint Chiefs of Staff, https://logistics.dsigroup.org/
9:30 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute conference: “U.S.-China Rivalry in the Middle East,” with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) https://www.hudson.org/events/us-china-rivalry-middle-east-conference
10 a.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discussion: “Has the World Arrived in a new Nuclear Age?” with Alex Bell, president and CEO, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; Ankit Panda, CEIP senior fellow; Corey Hinderstein, CEIP vice president for studies; and David Hoffman, Washington Post contributing editor https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2025/05/
10 a.m. — Arab Center virtual discussion: “Syria’s Transitional Government: Challenges, Policies, and Prospects,” with Syrian Minister of Communication and Information Technology Abdulsalam Haykal; Syrian Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Hind Kabawat; and Syrian Minister of Information Hamza al-Mustafa https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register
10 a.m. 538 Dirksen — Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing: “Securing America: Key Authorities Under the Defense Production Act, with testimony from Mckinsey Lyon, vice president of external affairs, Perpetua Resources; Jared Brown, executive director, Global Shield; and John McGinn, executive director, George Mason University Costello College of Business’s Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting http://banking.senate.gov
10:30 a.m. 192 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “A Review of the President’s FY2026 Budget Request for the National Guard and Reserves Forces, with testimony from Gen. Steven Nordhaus, chief, National Guard Bureau; Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief, Army Reserve; Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, chief, Navy Reserve; and Lt. Gen. Leonard Anderson, commander, Marine Corps Forces Reserve http://appropriations.senate.gov
10:30 a.m. 2200 Rayburn — House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee hearing: “A Dire Crisis in Sudan: A Global Call to Action,” with testimony from Ken Isaacs, vice president for programs and government relations at Samaritan’s Purse; and Cameron Hudson, senior fellow in the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Africa Program http://foreignaffairs.house.gov
10:30 a.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: “Global Strategy at a Historic Inflection Point,” with Norwegian Head of the Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Trond Heileland; Estonian Head of the Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Raimond Kaljulaid; and Derek Twigg, member, British Parliament https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/the-dayton-dialogue
12 p.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace virtual discussion: “Turbocharged and Vengeful: Managing the Challenge of a Rogue Russia,” with Yuichi Hosoya, professor of international politics at Keio University; Sabine Fischer, senior fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs; Max Seddon, Moscow bureau chief at the Financial Times; and Alexander Gabuev, director, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2025/05/russia
5:30 p.m. 1957 E St. NW — Women’s Foreign Policy Group discussion: “China Connections: Past, President, and Future of U.S.-China Policy,” with Mercy Kuo, senior contributing author at The Diplomat; Yun Sun, senior fellow and co-director, Stimson Center’s East Asia Program; and Wenchi Yu, non-resident research fellow at Harvard University and international affairs commentator at TVBS News https://www.wfpg.org/index.php
6 p.m. — Chicago Council on Global Affairs discussion: “Securing the Final Frontier,” with U.S. Space Command Commander Gen. Stephen Whiting; and Karl Bingen, director, Center for Strategic and International Studies Aerospace Security Project and senior fellow in the CSIS Defense and Security Department https://www.youtube.com/watch
7:30 p.m. 815 V Street NW — Politics and Prose Bookstore book discussion: Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again, with co-author Jake Tapper, chief Washington correspondent for CNN; and co-author Alex Thompson, national political correspondent for Axios https://politics-prose.com/jake-tapper-alex-thompson
FRIDAY | MAY 23
9 a.m. 550 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, Maryland — U.S. Naval Academy 2025 graduation and commissioning ceremony at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, with Vice President J.D. Vance https://www.usna.edu/CommissioningWeek/schedule.php
10 a.m. — National Institute for Deterrence Studies virtual seminar: “Strategic Shifts: Russia’s Tactical and Expanding Theater Nuclear Competitive Advantage,” with Philip Karber, president of the Potomac Foundation https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/strategic-shifts
SATURDAY | JUNE 14
6:30 p.m. Constitution Ave., Washington, D.C — Grand Military Parade and Celebration honoring the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army, with remarks by PresidentDonald Trump, and featuring veterans, active-duty troops, wounded warriors, Gold Star Families, and patriotic Americans from across the country Tickets: https://america250.org
