President Donald Trump has begun his long-anticipated tour of the Middle East, where he is set to negotiate with a number of foreign nations and try to resolve conflicts and wars in the region — but he already begins that mission under a cloud of doubt and skepticism at home.
In particular, the trip has been marred by reports that he wants to put business deals over diplomacy, and the fact that the government of Qatar is gifting Trump a $400 million luxury Boeing 747, which raises questions of whether any concessions or benefits accruing to Qatar in Trump's discussions will truly be in America's interests and has even some of Trump's firmest supporters crying foul.
Even as Trump prepared to leave, multiple senators sounded the alarm that none of this was above board.
"This is President Trump's corruption tour of the Middle East," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) posted on X. "He is giving favors to nations, and in exchange he is asking not for security concessions for the United States, but cash payments for himself. This isn't a normal moment and we shouldn't act like it."
"Donald Trump's personal business dealings in the Middle East are already an ethical nightmare," wrote Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI). "Accepting a luxury aircraft from a foreign gov’t would create a security nightmare too. President Trump should think twice before permanently embarrassing himself & the nation."
Other commentators had a similar take on the matter.
"Qatar wants: U.S. weapons; Military protection; U.S. foreign policy influence in the Middle East; Favorable trade terms and investment opportunities. Trump wants: bribes," wrote health care activist Melanie D'Arrigo. "So Qatar gave him a $400 million plane and a $5.5 billion golf course deal."
"The WH truly has succeeded in framing Trump's Middle East trip as 'all about business,'" wrote former Biden administration State Department adviser Ned Price. "But the many media outlets covering it as such might ask why he's choosing these countries over longstanding U.S. allies with larger GDPs whose values more closely align with ours."
Even some people willing to concede Trump could make diplomatic progress in the Middle East, were skeptical it would actually happen.
"As Trump arrives in Middle East, he has leverage Biden didn't have or wouldn't use — on Israel, Iran, and Congress — and inherits new strategic landscape," wrote Brookings Institution scholar Phil Gordon. "Alas no sign he has the discipline, expertise or perseverance to turn that into effective policy."