US EditionMurphy, Democrats take aim at Qatari jet gift with push to block Middle East arms sales
- In May 2025, a group of Democratic senators introduced joint resolutions in Washington to prevent the approval of nearly $1.9 billion worth of military equipment destined for Qatar and over $1.5 billion in weapons transfers to the United Arab Emirates.
- The senators acted after President Trump announced he would accept a $400 million Boeing jet from Qatar for Air Force One and a $2 billion UAE investment linked to his family.
- The Qatar sale includes eight MQ-9B armed drones plus 200 JDAM tail kits, 300 bombs, and 110 Hellfire missiles, while the UAE sale features six Chinook helicopters, F-16 parts, and aircraft repair components.
- Senator Murphy called Qatar's jet a “palace in the sky” and described the arrangements as an “illegal bribe,” pledging to block the arms sale until the offer is rescinded or rejected.
- The resolutions would force a Senate floor vote, signaling significant opposition and prompting debate on the U.S. Security relationship and ethics of accepting foreign gifts.
7 Articles
7 Articles
Sen. Murphy to force votes on halting weapons sales to Qatar and UAE
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) said on Thursday that he’ll attempt to force a vote on his resolutions halting several sets of arms sales to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in response to the Qataris offering President Donald Trump a $400 million Boeing jet to add to the Air Force One fleet and the Emiratis investing $2 billion in his family’s cryptocurrency coin. The Connecticut senator’s joint resolutions of disapproval target $1.9 billion in arms…
Murphy, Democrats take aim at Qatari jet gift with push to block Middle East arms sales
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and a group of Senate Democrats on Thursday moved to block $3.5 billion worth of arms sales to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as President Trump nears the end of his weeklong trip in the Middle East. Murphy filed a pair of joint resolutions Thursday afternoon: one aimed at blocking…
Democrats look to block UAE arms sales
U.S. congressional Democrats sought to block arms sales to the United Arab Emirates. Over its alleged involvement in Sudan’s civil war and concern about crypto currency ties, the same day Republican President Donald Trump announced $200 billion in new deals with the Gulf State. Democrats Chris Murphy, Chris Van Hollen, Brian Schatz and Tim Kaine, […]
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