Thursday, 13 November, 2025
London, UK
Thursday, November 13, 2025 9:02 PM
overcast clouds 13.9°C
Condition: Overcast clouds
Humidity: 93%
Wind Speed: 9.3 km/h

Jon Stewart Slams Donald Trump For Accepting ‘$400 Million’ Luxury Jumbo Jet From Qatar Royal Family: ‘There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch’

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/MixCollage-12-May-2025-08-47-PM-9709.jpg?crop=0px,8px,1200px,675px&resize=1000,563

On this week’s episode of “The Daily Show,” Jon Stewart criticized Donald Trump for accepting a gift from the royal family of Qatar in the form of a luxury jumbo jet worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Stewart opened the segment by playing a series of news clips detailing the exchange between Trump and the Qatari royals. The clips explained that the jet, which has an estimated value of “$400 million,” would be used by the President during his term “and then transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation shortly before he leaves office.”

Related Stories

“What? Qatar is giving us a plane that Trump gets to keep? He’s like the reverse Oprah,” Stewart joked. “‘I get a jet! And that’s it. I get a jet. For my library!’ Why does his library need a jet? Why would your presidential library need — ‘Hello, I’m calling from Europe, and I need a book about Trump, by morning! And the book must travel in the comfort and style one can only get from Qatar.’”

Popular on Variety

Another news clip then played, outlining the specifications of the jet, which include “the biggest master bedroom in the sky as well as some very plush living quarters and several private offices.”

“But hey, it’s a jet from Qatar,” Stewart said. “We can trust them. They’re not suspect like Canada.”

Stewart then played a media soundbite explaining that “Qatar is considered an American ally, but it is also an ally of Iran, and China, and even Hamas.”

The late-night pundit then pulled a video of Trump defending his decision to accept the jet. In the clip, the President said, “They’re giving us a free jet. I could say no, no, no, don’t give [it to] us. I want to pay you $1 billion or $400 million or whatever it is. Or I could say thank you very much.”

“It’s not a free jet,” Stewart said. “That’s the point. You know the expression ‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch?’ That’s about being skeptical of the motives of someone who gives you a sandwich. A sandwich! A BLT! Imagine now that the BLT has an engine, nine bathrooms, and funds proxy wars!”

Watch the entire monologue below.

LP Staff Writers

Writers at Lord’s Press come from a range of professional backgrounds, including history, diplomacy, heraldry, and public administration. Many publish anonymously or under initials—a practice that reflects the publication’s long-standing emphasis on discretion and editorial objectivity. While they bring expertise in European nobility, protocol, and archival research, their role is not to opine, but to document. Their focus remains on accuracy, historical integrity, and the preservation of events and individuals whose significance might otherwise go unrecorded.

Categories

Follow

    Newsletter

    Subscribe to receive your complimentary login credentials and unlock full access to all features and stories from Lord’s Press.

    As a journal of record, Lord’s Press remains freely accessible—thanks to the enduring support of our distinguished partners and patrons. Subscribing ensures uninterrupted access to our archives, special reports, and exclusive notices.

    LP is free thanks to our Sponsors

    Privacy Overview

    Privacy & Cookie Notice

    This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and to help us understand how our content is accessed and used. Cookies are small text files stored in your browser that allow us to recognise your device upon return, retain your preferences, and gather anonymised usage statistics to improve site performance.

    Under EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process this data based on your consent. You will be prompted to accept or customise your cookie preferences when you first visit our site.

    You may adjust or withdraw your consent at any time via the cookie settings link in the website footer. For more information on how we handle your data, please refer to our full Privacy Policy