Why it matters:
President Donald J. Trump has secured a historic economic partnership with Qatar worth an estimated $1.2 trillion, significantly bolstering American manufacturing, defense exports, and global innovation leadership. The agreement, signed May 14, 2025, during Trump’s visit to Doha, is the latest in a string of multi-billion-dollar international deals aimed at fueling a U.S. industrial revival.
Driving the news:
The White House announced more than $243.5 billion in specific U.S.-Qatar commercial deals—including Boeing’s largest-ever widebody aircraft order, major defense contracts, and tech sector investments—as part of a broader $1.2 trillion commitment in trade and economic exchange.
These landmark deals will drive innovation and prosperity for generations, bolster American manufacturing and technological leadership, and put America on the path to a new Golden Age.
President Donald Trump
Key U.S.-Qatar business agreements:
- $96 billion Boeing-GE Aerospace Deal: Qatar Airways will acquire up to 210 U.S.-built Boeing 787 Dreamliner and 777X aircraft powered by GE engines—supporting an estimated 154,000 American jobs annually.
- McDermott-Qatar Energy Partnership: $8.5 billion in active LNG infrastructure projects led by McDermott will support thousands of energy jobs in the U.S.
- Parsons Contracts: 30 high-value engineering projects worth $97 billion will strengthen U.S. innovation capacity.
- Quantinuum-Al Rabban Capital JV: Qatar will invest $1 billion in U.S. quantum tech and workforce development via a joint venture with the advanced computing firm Quantinuum.
Defense partnerships also expanded:
- Raytheon Deal: A $1 billion counter-drone system agreement makes Qatar the first international buyer of FS-LIDS technology.
- General Atomics MQ-9B Sale: A nearly $2 billion deal will provide Qatar with the most advanced unmanned aircraft system in the world.
President Trump’s latest achievement in Qatar is another win for America. He is delivering on his promise to bring back ‘Made in America’ and usher in a new era of prosperity.
The White House
By the numbers:
- U.S.-Qatar trade in 2024 totaled $5.64 billion, with the U.S. enjoying a $2 billion trade surplus.
- Qatar’s 2023 greenfield investment in the U.S. reached $3.3 billion across sectors like tech, energy, and hospitality.
- Ongoing Qatari investments include $18 billion in U.S. energy infrastructure since 2019.
What’s next:
A newly signed security partnership agreement outlines over $38 billion in future Qatari defense investments, including support for Al Udeid Air Base and advanced maritime and air defense systems.
What Democrats Are Saying
The $1.2 trillion U.S.-Qatar economic agreement—touted by President Trump as a historic win for American manufacturing—has drawn swift and scathing rebukes from Democratic leaders, who warn it could violate the Constitution and set a dangerous precedent for foreign influence in American governance.
At the heart of the criticism is Qatar’s offer of a $400 million Boeing 747-8 aircraft—reportedly intended to replace Air Force One and later be transferred to Trump’s presidential library—a gift some Democrats argue may breach the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause.
Premium foreign influence with extra legroom.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on X
Meanwhile, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) sent a formal letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Department of Defense inspector general, and the Office of Government Ethics urging an immediate review of the jet deal’s legality. In the letter, Torres criticized the move as an unprecedented breach of ethical standards.
The American people are witnessing, in real time, what can only be described as a ‘flying grift’… If we fail to draw the line here, there may soon be no line left to draw.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY)
Torres called for an advisory opinion to determine whether the acceptance of the aircraft violates federal ethics rules and pushed for policy reforms to prevent future presidents from converting foreign gifts into personal property.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a former constitutional law professor, echoed those concerns, stating that Trump must seek congressional consent before accepting any foreign gift of this nature, per the U.S. Constitution.
Trump must seek Congress’ consent to accept this foreign gift. The Emoluments Clause is clear.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) on X
Legal scholars note that while the Emoluments Clause restricts federal officeholders from accepting foreign gifts without congressional approval, enforcement ultimately lies with Congress. As constitutional law expert Professor Richard Briffault has stated, the only direct remedy would be impeachment—an unlikely outcome under a Republican-controlled legislature.
The controversy underscores broader concerns about transparency and foreign influence, as the aircraft deal appears to blend public service with private benefit—raising constitutional and ethical alarms that may haunt the administration long after the ink on the agreement has dried.
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