Trump Touts New Air Force One, Defends Accepting Qatari 747 Gift As He Campaigns For GOP

 

Kalispell : US President Donald Trump arrived in Montana for a campaign rally on Wednesday evening after visiting Arizona earlier in the day, where he defended his acceptance of a gifted luxury jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One.

 

Speaking in an economically struggling corner of rural Arizona, Trump opened his remarks by talking about how he learned that the Qataris had "the best of all the 747s." He described to the crowd, which was standing in the sun at a rural desert airport to hear him speak, about how he called Qatar's emir and asked to borrow the aircraft before the leader instead offered it instead as a gift."When you're given gifts, you take 'em, right?" Trump told the crowd in Bullhead City. "When they give you a 747 you say two words: 'thank you.'" Trump's comments came as he was on his second and final day of a Western campaign swing, part of a midterm roadshow designed to rally the Republican Party ahead of Nov. 3 elections that will determine control of Congress.

 

As Americans have grappled with persistent concerns about their cost-of-living, candidates in the midterm elections are increasingly trying to speak to those economic worries. But Trump, as he has for months, has focused less on costs and often reverts to to some of his priorities, including renovation projects in Washington or trappings of the presidency, including the luxury jet.Trump accepted the aeroplane last year despite strong criticism, including from some of his staunchest Republican supporters. The visits to Arizona and Montana on Wednesday followed trips to Alaska on Tuesday and Ohio on Monday,