In an interview with NBC's Kristen Welker, former Vice President Mike Pence expressed his opposition to President Trump's acceptance of a $400 million military aircraft gift from Qatar. Pence highlighted Qatar's support for organizations like Hamas and al-Qaeda, citing these as serious security concerns. He urged Trump to reconsider the acceptance of the aircraft, arguing that if Qatar wanted to contribute to the U.S., they should invest in their military infrastructure instead. His remarks reflect ongoing criticisms regarding the appropriateness of such a gift and potential implications for U.S. intelligence and security.
I think first we got to remember who Qatar is. We've got a military base there. I have members of our immediate family that have deployed to the region, but Qatar has a long history of playing both sides.
And so the very idea that we would accept an Air Force One from Qatar, I think is inconsistent with our security, with our intelligence needs.
I think if Qatar wants to make a gift to the United States, they ought to take that $400 million and plow it into infrastructure on their military base.
There are profound issues, the potential for intelligence gathering, the need to ensure the President of the United States is safe and secure as he travels around the world.
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