Freedom of Press Sues DOJ Over Withheld Trump Qatar Jet Memo

The Department of Justice is facing a federal lawsuit filed by the Freedom of the Press Foundation and American Oversight for withholding a legal memorandum that justified President Trump's acceptance of a $400 million luxury Boeing 747-8 jet gifted by the Qatari government. The jet, intended to be retrofitted as Air Force One and later transferred to Trump's private presidential library, has sparked significant legal and ethical concerns, particularly regarding potential violations of the U.S. Constitution's Foreign Emoluments Clause. Despite a Freedom of Information Act request submitted in May 2025, the DOJ has delayed releasing the memo until at least January 2027, citing an unprecedented backlog of FOIA requests. Critics, including ethics experts and lawmakers from both parties, have questioned the propriety of accepting such an extravagant foreign gift, with some highlighting national security risks and the lack of transparency surrounding the transaction. The lawsuit underscores broader issues with government secrecy and the challenges of enforcing disclosure rules related to presidential library donations. DOJ officials have declined to comment on the specific lawsuit but have attributed delays to increased FOIA demands.