Trump’s kostenlose Qatar-Jet: Alptraum für Spione
Qatar’s generous offer of a luxurious Boeing 747 to US President Donald Trump has raised concerns within the US intelligence and diplomatic community. Gifts from foreign powers have always been met with suspicion, and this case is no exception.
Apart from the legal and ethical implications of Trump accepting such a lavish gift, there are also technical and security risks to consider. Experts warn that any gift from a foreign government could be used for surveillance, tracking, or compromising the communications of the president and his entourage.
Thad Troy, a former CIA station chief, pointed out that if the US had built the plane knowing it would go to a foreign government, it would likely have been bugged. He recalled his time in Cold War-era Moscow, where the American embassy was meticulously dismantled to remove surveillance devices embedded in the building.
Trump’s frustration with delivery delays of the two new presidential planes ordered from Boeing for $3.9 billion during his first term led him to consider alternatives. It seems that he had his eye on the Qatari plane even before it was offered to him as a gift this month.
