DOJ Sued Over Legal Memo on Trump’s $400 Million Qatari Jet

The legal challenge, filed in the District of Columbia with assistance from the watchdog group American Oversight, targets a document reportedly approved by the Office of Legal Counsel and signed by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The DOJ previously informed the foundation that fulfilling its Freedom of Information Act request would take over 600 days. Lauren Harper, the foundation’s chair on government secrecy, questioned the timeline, noting that the aircraft is slated for donation to the president's private library foundation following his second term.

Controversy surrounding the plane centers on potential violations of the U.S. Constitution’s foreign emoluments clause. Critics point to the timing of the gift, which followed business agreements between the Trump Organization and entities tied to the Qatari government. Reports suggest that the costs to retrofit the aircraft for use as Air Force One may exceed $1 billion, with officials privately indicating that funds are being diverted from the over-budget Sentinel nuclear missile modernization program. Despite these concerns, Senate Republicans previously blocked legislation intended to prevent the use of foreign-gifted planes as presidential transport. The lawsuit argues that Bondi’s refusal to recuse herself—given her past lobbying for Qatar—coupled with the administrative opacity, underscores a growing pattern of ethical questions regarding private donations to presidential foundations.