WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a TikTok video exchange with Anna Liss-Roy of The Washington Post, Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) defended former President Donald Trump’s acceptance of a $450 million jet from the Qatari government by comparing it to France’s gift of the Statue of Liberty.
When asked if he had concerns about the ethics or national security implications of accepting such a gift from a foreign government, Mullin replied, “I have zero issue with it.” He added, “That was a gift too,” referring to the Statue of Liberty.
Liss-Roy then pressed Mullin on safety and intelligence risks. Mullin pushed back, asking, “Do you think we’re really going to take a plane and not strip it?” and questioned the reporter’s understanding of security procedures. “If you don’t understand that basic knowledge, then you probably shouldn’t be reporting on it,” he said.
You can watch the exchange below:
