(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined CNN News Central this morning to discuss President Trump’s trip to the Middle East this week and rebuke the President’s reported plans to accept a luxury Qatari jet to use as Air Force One, which raises clear ethical, Constitutional and national security implications. Click HERE to watch Senator Shaheen’s full interview. 

Key quotes from Senator Shaheen: 

• On President Trump’s trip to the Middle East, Shaheen said: “Unfortunately, while I think the economic agreement is a good thing, he seems to be missing the two biggest threats in the Middle East. One if from Iran and the terrorism that they continue to support, their effort to get a nuclear weapon. And the other is the war in Gaza – this is an opportunity to engage the other Arab nations in helping to see what the long-term future is to address Gaza and Israel.” 

• On reports of President Trump’s plan to accept a luxury Qatari jet as Air Force One, Shaheen said: “With respect to Qatar and the plane, I think there are serious Constitutional questions about this, but there are also questions about national security. And sadly, the President doesn’t seem too concerned about national security. He’s been willing to allow his Secretary of Defense to engage in classified discussions over unclassified channels. He has, again, looking at accepting this plane without thinking about what the implications would be. […] But then there’s the other question of corruption, and I think that’s what the American people should also be concerned about. This is a President who has, between his crypto coin scheme, his investments in Qatar for a golf course, taking this plane – it all raises questions about who his commitment really belongs to. Does it belong to the American people and the United States? Or does it belong to himself and all of the dollars that he can bring in to himself and his family?”