Plane diplomacy

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A jumbo jet replete with golden bathrooms and wood trimmings is proving irresistible to Donald Trump, though deeply problematic for the US on a number of fronts.

Presented as a gift from Qatar, one that the American president believes he'd be stupid not to accept, the grand gesture from the tiny Gulf state raises a raft of ethical, legal and security concerns.

For critics, the offer is an attempt to buy influence. For the US intelligence community, it's nothing short of a nightmare. The entire 89-seater jet would need to be taken apart to ensure it has no secret spying devices, and that could take months, if not years.

For Trump, it's free — so what's the issue?

Trump speaks with reporters on Air Force One on May 4. Photographer: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

The whole affair is emblematic not just of the transactional nature of Trump's presidency but also the razzle-dazzle display of wealth and excess during his tour this week of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. But behind the glitter, all is not what it seems.

In Riyadh, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman zipped Trump around in a golf cart and talked up $1 trillion worth of investments in the US, though the true value of those commercial deals is far less.

In Doha, the intersection of money and power will coalesce around the politics of a Boeing 747. The private Qatari airliner being offered up as a presidential plane is just the most brazen example of how governments and companies appeal to Trump.

A noted aviation buff, Trump is partial to plane diplomacy.

An aircraft order by British Airways parent IAG was touted as evidence of his deal-making qualities in talks with the UK. In the trade détente with China, Beijing dropped its ban on Boeing deliveries.

When it comes to tensions with Europe, few rivalries are fiercer than the Airbus-Boeing duopoly. And when it comes to that transatlantic relationship, no gifts will be involved. — Leen Al-Rashdan

A Qatari Boeing 747 at the Palm Beach International airport after Trump toured the aircraft on Feb. 15. Photographer: Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

Global Must Reads

Trump sent a message to the world from Saudi Arabia yesterday, rejecting notions of nation-building and pressure on human rights that previous US leaders once championed: make business deals and the US won't meddle in your affairs. The administration is already clearing a path for Saudi Arabia and the UAE to pursue their artificial intelligence ambitions — and some of the biggest American tech companies are seizing on that opening with plans to spend billions of dollars in the region.

NATO allies are putting together an accord to significantly boost defense spending in a way that may assuage Trump's demand for alliance members to spend 5% of economic output on the armed forces. Agreement on outlays on that scale — none of NATO's 32 members, including the US, has hit the threshold — would mark the biggest increase by Western allies since the end of the Cold War as NATO retrenches following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Soldiers during NATO military exercises in Poland on Feb. 26. Photographer: Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reinforced his intention to hold direct talks with Vladimir Putin in Turkey tomorrow, even though he said he had little hope the Russian leader would show up. Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other US officials will go to Istanbul for the meetings, which he said "could produce some pretty good results."

Indian officials said trade talks with the US remain on track, although there are signs that New Delhi is adopting a tougher approach in negotiations, following China's defiance of Trump. Meanwhile, Beijing's surprisingly quick tariff agreement with the US put a spotlight on a Chinese negotiating team that features decades worth of technical trade experience alongside a top aide of President Xi Jinping.

French President Emmanuel Macron urged the European Union to step up pressure on Israel over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, highlighting growing tension between Tel Aviv and some of its closest allies. Trump intends to lift US sanctions against Syria following the toppling of former President Bashar al-Assad and met with its new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Riyadh today.

WATCH: Caroline Connan reports on Macron's criticism of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu on Bloomberg TV.

Peru's prime minister resigned after a last-ditch attempt at a cabinet reshuffle failed to placate opposition lawmakers who demanded his ouster.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated a call for the EU to scrap rules designed to make companies pursue sustainable policies, a position that risks stirring divisions with his Social Democrat coalition partners.

Former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam is running unopposed to lead Ivory Coast's main opposition party just days after he resigned from the post, a maneuver aimed at bypassing a challenge to his eligibility.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva brushed off concern that the Trump administration would punish his country for building closer ties with China after a state visit to Beijing that saw him sign more than 30 agreements.

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Chart of the Day

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And Finally

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