South Africa’s president ribs Trump: “I don’t have a plane to give you”

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ribbed President Donald Trump during a tense Oval Office meeting on Wednesday, saying he didn’t have a plane to gift him after the U.S. accepted a luxury jet from Qatar.

The Context

Democrats and Republicans alike have raised concerns about whether Qatar could be gifting the $400 million jet to the U.S. to influence Trump’s foreign policy decisions.

The Pentagon confirmed Wednesday that it has formally accepted the plane, described as a “palace in the sky,” and tasked the U.S. Air Force with upgrading the jet so Trump can use it as a new Air Force One.

What To Know

NBC’s Peter Alexander asked Trump about the Pentagon accepting the plane during Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Ramaphosa on Wednesday.

The question came after Trump spent several minutes showing Ramaphosa photos, videos and newspaper articles that he claimed were proof of a “white genocide” happening in South Africa.

“Mr. President, the Pentagon announced that it would be accepting a Qatari jet to be used as Air Force One…” Alexander said, before Trump cut him off. The president called Alexander an “idiot” and accused NBC of trying to distract from his allegations against South Africa by asking about the Qatari jet.

Trump also suggested NBC executives should be “investigated” and later elaborated on why Qatar was gifting the plane to the Pentagon.

“Why did a country give an airplane to the United States Air Force?…So they could help us out, because we need an Air Force One,” Trump said. He then gestured to Alexander, saying, “That’s what that idiot talks about, after viewing a thing where thousands of people are dead.”

Ramaphosa cut in, saying, “I’m sorry I don’t have a plane to give you.”

“I wish you did,” Trump responded, drawing laughter from Ramaphosa. “I would take it. If your country offered the United States Air Force a plane, I would take it.”

“Okay,” the South African president replied.

He then turned back to Trump’s claims of white farmers being persecuted in South Africa, saying he would like to discuss the issue with Trump “calmly.”

“We were taught by Nelson Mandela that whenever there are problems, people need to sit down around a table and talk about them,” Ramaphosa said.

“Well, there are problems,” Trump said.

This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.