Is Trump's free plane a gift too far for Republicans?
Americast
BBC
4.2 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 14 May 2025
⏱️ 27 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
It’s Donald Trump’s first major trip in his second term as president and he’s chosen to visit the Gulf in a four-day whirlwind tour.
He began in Saudi Arabia for a friendly meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Among other issues he agreed to lift sanctions on Syria and struck a number of trade deals, marking a big shift in relations between the two nations since Joe Biden’s presidency.
But the trip threatens to be overshadowed by the fallout from Qatar’s gift of a free luxury jumbo jet. The president has defended the gift and said he would be a “stupid person” to turn it down, which has prompted criticism from his supporters including the far-right influencer Laura Loomer.
Sarah and Anthony in Qatar join Justin to unpack a busy few days on the road, and discuss the new U.S. approach to the Middle East and what it means for the region, and the rest of the world.
HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
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This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was James Piper. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. |
| 0:04.8 | It's Donald Trump's first big trip as president in his second term. |
| 0:09.7 | He may or may not be getting a plane out of it, or at least the United States may or may not be getting a plane out of it, |
| 0:15.8 | a gift from the Cattery Royal Family. |
| 0:18.0 | But there is business to be done as well on a wider setting, the business |
| 0:22.0 | of politics, a vision to remake the Middle East. Why then is he chosen to visit the Gulf on this |
| 0:27.7 | first major trip? What does it tell us about America's new approach to the Middle East and |
| 0:32.7 | indeed to the world? Welcome to AmeriCast. |
| 0:38.3 | Ameriast from BBC News. |
| 0:41.5 | You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War |
| 0:45.9 | 3. President Trump's message is very simple. We are done being taken advantage of. |
| 0:50.4 | Mr. President, in the name of our God, have mercy upon the people. We're scared now. |
| 0:56.0 | Are you supportive of these onesies? I'm supportive of vaccines. |
| 0:59.5 | What is happening? Like, this is not America. This is a terrible nightmare. |
| 1:03.9 | This is what victory feels like. Yeah. |
| 1:16.6 | Yeah. Hello, it's Sarah here, and I'm in Doha in Qatar. |
| 1:20.2 | And it's Anthony. I'm also in Doha. |
| 1:22.4 | The same hotel, probably just a few floors down from you. |
| 1:25.7 | And it's Justin, looking on enviously from the worldwide headquarters of AmeriCast in London, England. |
| 1:31.4 | Now, I should start us off by saying it is, what is it, quarter past three in the afternoon here in London on Wednesday, the 14th of May. |
| 1:38.1 | And it's particularly important this week because the president is moving at what I think we can honestly say is a pretty whirlwind pace through |
| 1:46.8 | the Gulf countries. But with Anthony and Sarah, either in tow or in advance, so not a single |
... |
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