Wire flash
PoliticsEx-Trump Official Scaramucci Blasts President's Use of Qatari Jet as Security Risk
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci criticized President Donald Trump's use of a retrofitted Qatari Air Force One jet during a trip returning from the NATO summit in Turkey. Speaking with host Alex Wagner, Scaramucci argued the plane swap exemplifies the 'Trump effect,' where everything the president touches turns problematic. The New York Times reported the switch was due to Secret Service security concerns amid renewed tensions with Iran, though Trump denied this, claiming he wanted to show the renovated plane to troops in the UK. Scaramucci compared the unfinished jet to other unfinished White House projects, saying 'if he touches it, it's gonna turn to dogshit.' Wagner noted two new secure Air Force One jets are under construction, questioning Trump's rush to use the Qatari jet for amenities like lie-flat seats.
Source report
Former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci sharply criticized President Donald Trump's retrofitted Qatari Air Force One jet on Friday, calling it another example of what he described as the "Trump effect."
Speaking with "Runaway Country" host Alex Wagner, Scaramucci weighed in on recent reports that Trump was forced to switch planes while returning from the NATO summit in Turkey.
Wagner suggested that Trump—who has called himself "no. 1 on the kill list for Iran"—likely views the situation as "kind of cool."
"Yes, he's trying to make it sound cool," Scaramucci agreed. "That is part of his brand, you know, the 'fight fight fight' when the shots were fired in Butler, are all part of his brand, and I get that, and he's very good at disassociating himself."
Scaramucci theorized that the Qatari jet debacle is just another manifestation of the "Trump effect."
"All of it is tied into each other, and the plane is an example of that, right?" he continued. "It's an unfinished plane. We have an unfinished, fractured East Wing. We have an unfinished, now, reflecting pool. And so this is Donald Trump. If he touches it, it's gonna turn to dogshit."
Wagner noted that two brand new Air Force One jets are currently being constructed with the level of security needed to protect the president.
"He just rushed the Qatari jet because I guess there's like lie-flat seats and warm nuts available right after takeoff or whatever," Wagner said. "But the reality is, it's a security concern."
Background on the Plane Swap
- Trump denied on Wednesday that the swap was due to security concerns, instead claiming he wanted to show off the newly renovated plane to troops stationed in the United Kingdom.
- The New York Times first reported on Wednesday that the switch was prompted by Secret Service security concerns amid renewed tensions with Iran.
- Trump switched back to the retrofitted Qatari jet once in the U.K., using it for the remaining trip to the U.S.
Watch Wagner's full interview with Scaramucci here:
Source
HuffPost UK - Athena2 - All Entries (Public)Western
Part of this Story
Trump Inaugurates $400 Million Air Force One Gifted by Qatar Amid Controversy