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The Issue: President Trump’s acceptance of a $400 million jumbo jet from Qatar’s royal family.
About the Qatari plane: President Trump said it would be “stupid” not to take the gift (“Prez is acting plane reckless on Qatar,” Michael Goodwin, May 14).
I wonder if this could be used by policemen or judges who take money that may influence what they do?
Could their defense be: “It would be stupid not to take the free money”?
Raymond Mangano
Brooklyn
Name one former Democratic president who would reject the offer of a jumbo jet while a new Air Force One is not yet ready for delivery.
It does open the door for a chorus of criticism toward Trump.
But there is nothing that makes Democrats happier than condemning things that are good for America.
Colette Curry
Staten Island
There’s only one way to view Trump’s acceptance of a $400 million airplane.
Simply put, it is a Qatarpalooza of the worst kind.
Imagine the blowback from GOP lawmakers if this had happened when Barack Obama was president. Shame on Trump for keeping the so-called gift.
Denny Freidenrich
Laguna Beach, Calif.
After all that Goodwin has written about the president, I think that he still doesn’t really “get” Trump.
Trump sees Qatar’s offer of a $400 million plane for use as Air Force One not as a bribe, but as a “diss” at Boeing for the company being unable to deliver a new plane on time.
As for Goodwin’s concern about how the Democrats will try to use this “bribe” against Trump in the midterms, I dare say that when Trump has inflation normalized, food prices down, interest rates reduced and the tax cuts made permanent, voters will look at their swollen IRAs and say Trump should keep the plane as a token of their appreciation.
Jack Kaufman
Naples, Fla.
I’m sure you’ve heard the expression: “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.”
Well, I think Donnie should beware of Qataris bearing gifts.
How dumb can he be?
It’s a Trojan horse.
Harve Kaye
Brooklyn
The Issue: The United States granting refugee status to some white South African farmers.
At last, a US president is speaking out against the persecution of Afrikaners and providing a safe haven for refugees in America (“Leftists spurn white refugees,” Miranda Devine, May 15).
As Trump adviser Elon Musk put it, “What’s happening in South Africa is deeply wrong.”
In defiance of President Trump’s policy, the Episcopal Church refused to cooperate with the federal government in resettling refugees.
If the presiding bishop grieves for the “victims of religious persecution,” how is it that he cannot speak up for the persecuted white minority of South Africa?
Brian Stuckey
Denver, Colo.
Thank you, President Trump, for giving refuge to the South African families who are being viciously targeted.
And thank you, Miranda Devine, for your brilliant reporting on this situation.
Liberals tout their belief in equality, but they’ve shown it’s only reserved for certain classes.
They opened the border to all — including criminals and traffickers — and gave millions to non-governmental organizations (a lot of so-called Christian charities) to harbor these illegals.
That the Episcopal Church refuses to help these people from South Africa is so heinous and un-Christian it defies belief.
These are people we should be trying to protect, not because of the color of their skin but because they’re being persecuted in their homeland.
Joann Mirone
Old Greenwich, Conn.
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