Alternet: Donald Trump just can’t resist the bribes | Opinion

But one thing almost all Americans are firmly against — even many loyal Trumpers — [i]s bribery. And Trump is taking bigger and bigger bribes.

Yesterday it was reported that he’s accepting a luxury Boeing 747-8 plane worth at least $400 million from the Qatari royal family, for use during his presidency and for his personal use afterward.

Trump just can’t resist. He’s been salivating over the plane for months. It’s bigger and newer than Air Force One — and so opulently configured that it’s known as “a flying palace.” (No report on whether it contains a golden toilet.)

Apparently he’s been talking about the plane for months. In February, he toured it while it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport.

He’s tried to redecorate the White House into a palace but that’s not nearly as satisfying as flying around the world in one, especially once he’s left the White House (assuming he will).

https://www.alternet.org/donald-trump-just-can-t-resist-the-bribes

Manila Times: Trump family Gulf empire grows

Ahead of US President Donald Trump’s Gulf visit next week, his son Eric was promoting his crypto firm in Dubai, while Don Jr. prepared to talk about “Monetizing MAGA” in Doha.

Last month, the Trump Organization struck its first luxury real estate deal in Qatar and released details of a billion-dollar skyscraper in Dubai whose apartments can be bought in cryptocurrency.

In a monarchical region awash with petrodollars, the list of Trump-related ventures is long and growing. However, the pres-idential entourage is not the only party cashing in, analysts say.

“Gulf governments likely see the presence of the Trump brand in their countries as a way to generate goodwill with the new administration,” said Robert Mogielnicki of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

If the president chose, he could hopscotch the region from one Trump venture to another when he visits Saudi Arabia, Qa-tar and the United Arab Emirates next week on the first foreign tour of his second term.

Asked whether Trump would make visits or meetings linked to his own business interests or that of his family, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was “ridiculous” to “even suggest that President Trump is doing anything for his own benefit” and that he had “lost money for being president.”

LOL! The only person in Washington, D.C., who tells more lies than King Donald is Bimbo #1 Karoline Leavitt.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/05/12/business/foreign-business/trump-family-gulf-empire-grows/2110755

AOL: White House: ‘Ridiculous’ to think Trump doing anything for his own personal wealth

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt [Bimbo #1] said Friday it would be “ridiculous” to think President Trump is personally benefiting from his time at the White House, calling out reporters for questions about his family’s business ventures while in office.

Ahead of Trump’s trip to the Middle East next week, Leavitt [Bimbo #1] pushed back on questioning over whether any family members are joining him and if the president has any plans to meet with people involved with the family businesses while in the region.

“Not to my knowledge, and let me just get to the premise of your question that both of you have raised. I think it’s frankly ridiculous that anyone in this room would even suggest that President Trump is doing anything for his own benefit. He left a life of luxury and a life of running a very successful real estate empire for public service, not just once, but twice,” [Bimbo #1] said.

“A life of running a very successful real estate empire”: Does that include the loser’s SIX bankruptcies?

And his THIRTY FOUR convictions on felony counts of falsified business records?

Dumb doesn’t come much dumber than Bimbo #1 Karoline Leavitt!

https://www.aol.com/white-house-ridiculous-think-trump-182511250.html

Axios: Israel plans to occupy and flatten all of Gaza if no deal by Trump’s trip

Israel has set President Trump’s visit to the Middle East next week as a deadline for a new hostage and ceasefire deal, with a massive ground operation to commence if no deal is reached, Israeli officials say.

Why it matters: Israel’s Security Cabinet approved a plan Sunday night to gradually reoccupy all of Gaza and hold it indefinitely if no deal is reached by May 15. Plans for the operation call for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to flatten any buildings that remain standing and displace virtually the entire population of 2 million people to a single “humanitarian area.”

Ethnic cleansing at its “finest”.

https://www.axios.com/2025/05/05/israel-gaza-destroy-trump-deal