美国总统唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)周二抵达沙特阿拉伯，开始对中东进行正式访问，这是一次重要的国际访问，他和他的外交官将继续推动俄罗斯与乌克兰以及加沙地带的和平。此行对他与该地区的商业联系也很重要。
与此同时，特朗普坚持接受卡塔尔价值4亿美元的豪华飞机的影响仍在继续，他说这架飞机将放置空军一号。
美国军方驱逐航班至少花费了2100万美元
周一，通过向马萨诸塞州参议员伊丽莎白·沃伦提供的信息，美国军方驱逐航班的成本估计被披露。，由美国运输司令部负责。
稍微计算一下就可以看出，截至4月8日，这些航班至少花费了21，087，292.50美元，远远高于美国移民和海关执法局如果使用自己的包机所花费的费用。
“截至4月8日，USTRANSCOM共出动军用飞机46次，支持驱逐移民飞行。飞行总时数为802.5小时，每小时平均费用为26 277美元讲述沃伦。
冰的网站显示每日定期包机每小时的平均费用为8577美元。它还补充说，“一个特殊的高风险包机平均成本在每飞行小时6929美元至26795美元之间，取决于飞机的要求。”
TRANSCOM还披露，在1月20日至3月25日期间，它飞行了31次军事和合同航班，向关塔那摩湾运送了715名乘客和1，016.9短吨货物，称“货物包括支持南方警卫行动的维持用品和设备。这包括基地一般业务的用品和特别指定用于南方警卫行动的设备。”
NBC News首先报道了TRANSCOM对驱逐航班费用的估计。
法官阻止特朗普政府的黑肺筛查项目
西弗吉尼亚州的一名联邦法官暂时停止了大规模裁员影响了负责诊断和治疗煤矿工人黑肺病的卫生官员，这是特朗普政府寻求大幅限制联邦卫生计划范围的又一次挫折。
法官艾琳·伯杰(Irene Berger)周二命令卫生与公众服务部部长小罗伯特·F·肯尼迪(Robert Jr .)恢复西弗吉尼亚州摩根敦(Morgantown)数百名呼吸卫生工作者的职务，这些人负责监督一项针对有患黑肺风险的煤矿工人的筛查项目。
伯杰写道:“失去这些富有经验和敬业精神的员工的服务，是对矿工和公众不可挽回的伤害的一个方面，不能也不应该被忽视。”
伯杰周二写道，威利和几位上周在听证会上作证的NIOSH官员说服了她健康筛查项目和一项名为第90部分的豁免的重要性，该豁免允许患有早期黑肺病的矿工转移到矿井外的岗位。
伯杰也直接针对肯尼迪。
“当旨在确认矿工病情并为其提供工作场所保护以防止病情恶化的计划无法实施时，卫生与公众服务部部长真的认为一名被诊断患有黑肺的矿工没有受伤吗?”伯杰写道。"本法院不同意这种观点。"
周二早些时候，政府恢复了西弗吉尼亚州国家职业安全与健康研究所(NIOSH)的100名联邦雇员。
民主党人，共和党人同意，卡塔尔喷气机将需要更多的工作来确保安全
德宾“当然”担心可能存在与飞机有关的间谍活动。
“我们将仔细检查每一寸土地，确保卡塔尔人或其他政府无法接触到我们总统做出的最重要的决定。这是不负责任的，”德宾说。
蒂利斯还对保障飞机安全所需的费用表示担忧。
“每个人都需要知道，空军曾经与其他波音公司不同。他说:“在总统认为它是他的主要交通方式之前，它必须经过很多步骤，可能每一平方英寸都要经过分析。“然后你必须考虑它的成本效益，对吗?我的意思是，我们处在一个多吉的世界，所以我们必须弄清楚是否值得装修或出售它，并给财政部开一张支票，帮助我们减少债务。”
“这是对总统的贿赂”:更多的民主党人在卡塔尔的飞机上大声疾呼
更多的民主党人对一架卡塔尔喷气式飞机可能成为特朗普政府的礼物表示沮丧和担忧。
“这里最大的问题是这是对总统的贿赂，”亚利桑那州参议员马克·凯利说
弗吉尼亚州民主党参议员蒂姆·凯恩说，他认为国会需要拨款来改造这架飞机，将其用作空军一号，这“是拨款者不会允许总统将资金从某个栏目转移到卡塔尔飞机的这一耗资巨大的改造项目中的事情。所以是的，这是我们的责任。"
伊利诺伊州参议员迪克·德宾。参议院司法委员会的高级成员说，邦迪的角色存在问题，因为她在成为司法部长之前是卡塔尔政府的有偿说客。
“我们有一些问题，我们问她是如何澄清她与卡塔尔关系的道德声明的，我认为这份简单的协议真的是最重要的，”他说。
Schumer sends letter to Bondi seeking more information on Qatari plane
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., sent a letter Tuesday to Attorney General Pam Bondi expressing concern about the "appearance of naked corruption" posed by President Donald Trump's reported plans to accept a jet from the Qatari government.
Schumer said he believes the jet poses a "grave security risk" and cited reporting that Bondi personally signed off on the transaction.
In light of what Schumer called Bondi's "central role in approving the proposal," he asked Bondi to respond to a number of questions.
The senator asked Bondi to provide additional details on whether Qatar is providing a "ready-on-day-one" aircraft.
If so, Schumer asked Bondi for more information about how the aircraft would be known to be safe. If not, he asked Bondi whether American taxpayers will have to "cover the costs of the extensive retrofit and security modifications".
He also asked Bondi to provide more information about the existing Boeing contract for two new presidential aircraft.
Thune calls Qatari plane gift 'hypothetical' but promises scrutiny
Senators on Capitol Hill on Tuesday offered varied assessments on how the details of the president receiving a jet as a gift from the Qatari government to use as Air Force One would pan out.
Specifically, the senators differed on the cost of retrofitting the plane and Congress' role in appropriating money to do so, national security concerns, and the ethics of taking the plane as a gift from a foreign country.
A number of GOP senators shrugged off the reports of the gift.
"I don't think there's anything official out there. This is a hypothetical," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said at a weekly leadership press conference, dodging questions about his comfort level with Trump accepting the plane.
"And I'm sure that if and when there is, it's no longer a hypothetical, I can assure you there'll be plenty of scrutiny of whatever that arrangement might look like," he added.
Pressed on whether he thought this gift from a foreign government could be a national security concern, Thune demurred, repeating that more details would need to come out.
"I mean, I just said there'll be plenty of scrutiny. There are lots of issues around that that I think will attract very serious questions if and when it happens," he said.
Trump's removal of sanctions on Syria marks big shift in Middle East relations
The decision to lift sanctions on Syria poses a political risk with President Donald Trump's supporters back at home.
Until recently, Syrian leader Ahmad al Sharaa was wanted by the United States, which offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his whereabouts and Hayat Tahrir al Sham, the now-defunct rebel group he led during the offensive that overthrew the Assad regime. The group is still technically characterized as a terrorist organization by the U.S.
The Biden administration dropped the bounty on Sharaa in late 2024 but left carving out the U.S. approach to Syria's then-de facto leader up to Trump.
Trump vows to defend allies: 'We will have no mercy'
Trump vowed to defend the United States' allies while touting the country's military power.
"I will never hesitate to wield American power if it's necessary to defend the United States or to help defend our allies," Trump said at the forum in Riyadh. "And there will be no mercy for any foe who tries to do us or them harm. We will have no mercy."
Trump said the U.S. has the "best weapons in the world."
"We don't want to use them. If you threaten America or our partners, however, then you'll be faced with overwhelming strength and devastating force," he said.
Trump says he wants to make a deal with Iran: 'I don't like permanent enemies'
Trump turned to Iran and reiterated his stance against the nation if they don't come to a new deal with the U.S.
"In the case of Iran, I have never believed in having permanent enemies. I am different than a lot of people think. I don't like permanent enemies, but sometimes you need enemies to do the job and you have to do it right," he said.
Trump praises Saudi Arabian leader, country in long speech: 'I like you too much'
Trump addressed a crowd of Saudi leaders, business leaders and others at a a forum on U.S.-Saudi investments and went into his usual grievances and accomplishments.
In addition to talking about his election victory, crackdown on undocumented immigration and tariffs, Trump bashed his predecessor and his policies.
"The Biden administration did nothing for four years. We would have had it filled out. But it will be a special day in the Middle East with the whole world watching when Saudi Arabia joins us, and you'll be greatly honoring me," he said.
Trump praised Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other Saudi leaders claiming they have made great achievements with their country and business.
"He knows me well," Trump said of bin Salman. "I do. I like him a lot. I like him too much. That's why we give so much, you know? Too much. I like you too much."
The comments are notable -- particularly given Saudi Arabia's role in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Trump to meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa
Trump has agreed to say hello to the Syrian president while in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, according to a White House official.
The meeting appears to have been added to the president's schedule as he embarks on his first day in the region.
While Trump exited the Royal Court, he was asked about the meeting, but reporters could not hear the president's response.
Schumer calls on Bondi to testify over Qatari plane, places holds on judicial nominees
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer affirmed his intention to place holds on all of Trump's political judicial nominees, calling the Qatari government gifting Trump a jet to use as Air Force One "so corrupt that even Putin would give a double take."
"In light of the deeply troubling news of a possible Qatari-funded Air Force One, and the reports that the attorney general personally signed off on this clearly unethical deal, I am announcing a hold on all DOJ political nominees, until we get more answers," he said on the Senate floor.
Schumer also called on Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify before the House and Senate to "explain why gifting Donald Trump a private jet does not violate the emoluments clause -- which requires congressional approval -- or any other ethics laws."
"Until the Attorney General explains her blatantly inept decision and we get complete and comprehensive answers to these and other questions, I will place a hold on all political nominees to the Department Of Justice," Schumer said.
The senator called the Qatari plane deal the "tip of the iceberg" when it comes to Trump's business dealing in the Middle East, which Schumer said "reek of crooked self-enrichment."
White House announces defense sales deal with Saudi Arabia
The White House released a fact sheet with more details about its agreement with the Saudis that includes "nearly $142 billion" that Saudi Arabia secured from U.S. defense firms.
That sum will go to five areas: air force advancement and space capabilities, air defense, maritime security, land forces modernization, and information and communication systems upgrades. The agreement also provides training and support for Saudi armed forces.
The fact sheet also detailed areas that the nations with work together on in health, energy, and science.
That includes collaboration on "energy infrastructure," "mining and mineral resources," a space exploration mission and a modernized Air Transport Agreement allowing direct cargo.
