NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
SUMMARY
President Trump says the U.S. government is poised to accept an airplane from Qatar valued at nearly $400 million. He claims the 747 aircraft will replace the 40-year-old Air Force One. But the announcement has raised ethical and national security concerns. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert and professor at Washington University School of Law.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Where is Qatar?
- Who offered a gift of a $400 million luxury jet to President Trump?
- What is the emoluments clause in the Constitution?
- How could Congress play a role that would make such a gift acceptable?
- Why did Kathleen Clark say she used the word "payoff" to describe the luxury jet?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Do you think accepting the offer of the jet from Qatar is a conflict of interest or an act of corruption? Why or why not?
What are the national security concerns involved in accepting a gift from a foreign nation?
U.S. Constitution Original copy of the U.S. Constitution, housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
Media literacy: What additional questions do you have about this story?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Read the emoluments clause in the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 9, Paragraph 8):
"No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."
To learn more about legal and ethical issues concerning the luxury jet, read:
Britannica's What Is the Emoluments Clause?
Reuter's Is Qatar's gift of a plane to President Trump allowed under US law?
Learn more about Trump's visit to the Middle East in which he announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria, arms sales and U.S.-Saudi business agreements. Watch: Mideast experts weigh in on Trump’s economic and defense deals in the region
Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources.
