Trump Gets “FREE” Plane—Next Up: FREE CROWN?

So let’s talk about this post Donald Trump just made—bragging that the Defense Department got a gifted 747 “free of charge” to temporarily replace Air Force One.

Now, that might sound like a win to folks who think saving money is the same as saving democracy. But this is bigger than a plane—it’s about power. And Trump is once again pushing the boundaries of the Constitution, specifically Article I and the authority of the People’s House.

Because Article I is crystal clear: Congress controls the purse. They decide what gets bought, what gets deployed, and where every damn taxpayer dollar goes—especially when it comes to military assets. The House of Representatives—not the White House—was designed to be closest to the people. That’s where financial power is supposed to reside.

But here’s Trump, acting like the federal government is his personal Amazon account. He wants you to believe someone just handed over a jumbo jet for free and that it’s somehow wrong for Congress to want transparency, cost analysis, and lawful authorization.

Let me remind you—there’s no such thing as a “free” military jet. There are costs to retrofit it, secure it, fly it, maintain it, and operate it. All of that costs money. And where does that money come from? Congress.

So when Trump mocks lawmakers for insisting we “pay top dollar,” he’s not making a fiscal argument—he’s trying to dismantle the principle of checks and balances. He’s trying to say the Executive doesn’t need permission anymore. That should scare every American who cares about keeping the presidency in check.

This isn’t about saving taxpayers money. It’s about Trump normalizing the idea that the President can just do things—make deals, take gifts, deploy assets—without the people's voice being heard through their elected representatives.

That’s not transparency. That’s not leadership. That’s monarchy with a flag on it.

So no, Donald. You don’t get to take a victory lap for sidestepping the very article of the Constitution that keeps you in check. Because once you strip Congress of that power, it’s not just a jet you’re flying—it’s the Constitution you’re flying over.

Thank you

Michael Catlett

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Sherry A Watt

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Patricia Nowlin

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Kathy Giannini

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Janet Budreau

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