Trump’s Qatari jet gift sparks rare Jewish MAGA backlash
Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin and Laura Loomer say Trump’s embrace of Qatar crosses a line
A Qatari Boeing 747 at Palm Beach International Airport Feb. 15. Photo by Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
By Jacob Kornbluh May 13, 2025
For President Donald Trump’s MAGA Jewish base, the plane may be a bridge too far.
Three influential Jewish voices in the MAGA movement — figures typically known for their unwavering loyalty to the GOP standard-bearer — are aghast over Trump’s decision to accept a $400 million aircraft from the government of Qatar.
If the deal goes through, the Qatari jet, dubbed “the palace in the sky,” will be repurposed as Air Force One, and will upon the end of Trump’s presidency be bequeathed to his museum.
The rare pushback from Mark Levin, Ben Shapiro and Laura Loomer came as Trump began his first international trip on Monday, visiting several Gulf states — including Qatar, reviled in the pro-Israel community for its close ties with Hamas — while notably skipping Israel.
“Taking sacks of goodies from people who support Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood, Al Jazeera, all the rest, that’s not America First,” Shapiro said on his podcast, The Ben Shapiro Show. “I think if we switched the names to Hunter Biden and Joe Biden, we’d all be freaking out on the right.”
Al Jazeera is the popular Qatari-owned news network that has become a locus of pro-Israel criticism over its Hamas-sympathetic coverage of the Gaza war.
Loomer, a far-right internet activist who has advised Trump on hirings and firings lacerated Trump’s jet deal in a series of posts on X.
“This is really going to be such a stain on the admin if this is true,” Loomer wrote on Sunday. “And I say that as someone who would take a bullet for Trump. I’m so disappointed.”
Mark Levin, a Fox News host, shared the post and wrote, “Ditto.” In another post, Levin accused Qatar of support for terrorist groups and added: “Israel is our ally. Stop pissing on them.”
The Gulf monarchy has funded and housed the leadership of the terrorist group, and since the Oct. 7, 2023, massacres has taken a lead role in brokering ceasefires and hostage releases on its behalf.
The Jewish MAGA outrage, focused squarely on Qatar’s closeness to Hamas, is notable. Previously, the same figures were muted when Trump sidelined Israeli concerns, including when he snubbed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by announcing direct talks with Iran and when he negotiated a ceasefire with the Houthis in Yemen that ended attacks on U.S. ships — but not on Israel.
The backlash may not sway Trump. He brushed off the criticism during a gaggle with reporters at the White House on Monday. “They’re giving us a gift,” he said. “I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane.’ But I thought it was a great gesture.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of Trump who has long been close to Israel’s leadership, said on Monday that he wants to make sure “this whole thing is kosher.”
Who they are
Shapiro is the co-founder of The Daily Wire, a leading conservative news website. He has 7.3 million followers on X, and his podcast is wildly popular. His out-and-proud Orthodox observance makes Shapiro a leading influencer among younger conservatives and Orthodox Jews. Last month, Shapiro was among the torch lighters at Israel’s annual Independence Day ceremony on Mount Herzl.
Miri Regev, Israel’s transportation minister, chose Shapiro to represent Diaspora Jews who contribute to Israeli society, calling him “one of Israel’s greatest supporters in the world.” Shapiro was warmly received during his first speech in Israel in 2022, where he addressed a packed crowd in Tel Aviv and warned against importing “woke culture.”
Loomer is a firebrand activist and conspiracy theorist with a growing online following among younger MAGA voters. She also has a podcast called Loomer Unleashed on Rumble, a video platform that has amplified far-right antisemitism and Holocaust denial by far-right figures.
Levin commands an older, more traditional talk radio audience. A regular at Republican Jewish Coalition events, he is a longtime Fox News host with a devoted conservative base and a deep personal connection to Israel and affinity for Netanyahu. He has 4.8 million followers on X.
