Schumer fields bill in bid to scuttle Trump's Qatar plane plans

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wants to put the kibosh on President Donald Trump's plan for the U.S. military to accept a Boeing airplane from Qatar to be used as Air Force One.

The Democratic lawmaker has introduced a bill that would prohibit utilizing Defense Department funding to procure, modify, restore, or maintain an aircraft for presidential flight if that aircraft was previously owned by a foreign government, foreign government-controlled entity, or foreign government representative.

"None of the funds authorized to be appropriated or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2025 or fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Defense may be made available for the procurement, modification, restoration, or maintenance of an aircraft previously owned by a foreign government, an entity controlled by a foreign government, or a representative of a foreign government for the purposes of providing presidential airlift options," the text of the measure reads.

ESPIONAGE, CONSTITUTIONAL CONCERNS ABOUND FROM TRUMP DETRACTORS, ALLIES OVER QATARI JET OFFER

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House to request comment on Tuesday morning but did not immediately receive a response.

"Donald Trump has shown time and again – he will sell out the American people and the Presidency if it means filling his own pockets," Schumer said, according to a press release

"Not only would it take billions of taxpayer dollars to even attempt to retrofit and secure this plane, but there’s absolutely no amount of modifications that can guarantee it will be secure. It is now on the Senate to prioritize our national security, protect Americans, and ensure that a foreign-owned plane never gets the call sign ‘Air Force One.’"

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The proposal stands little chance of passage: Even if it were to clear both chambers of Congress where Republicans hold the majorities, the president could veto the measure, in which case passage would require enough votes to surmount a presidential veto.

"The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME! It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years. It will be used by our Government as a temporary Air Force One, until such time as our new Boeings, which are very late on delivery, arrive," President Trump declared in a Truth Social post last week.

QATAR OFFERS TRUMP JUMBO JET TO SERVE AS AIR FORCE ONE

"Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE from a country that wants to reward us for a job well done. This big savings will be spent, instead, to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump added.

Trump indicated last week that he does not plan to fly in the plane after leaving office, but that the aircraft would be placed in his presidential library.

Diddy trial witness reveals threats and violence that could support RICO charges: expert

Jurors in the Sean "Diddy" Combs trial were introduced to a number of witnesses in the government's case against the disgraced music mogul.

The U.S. Attorney's Office called Dawn Richard to the stand, a former member of Diddy's Danity Kane girl group, who claimed the "Last Night" rapper threatened her to remain quiet about the alleged abuse of his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. 

Los Angeles litigator John J. Perlstein exclusively told Fox News Digital that Richard's testimony could possibly support the government's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charge.

CASSIE VENTURA EMERGES AS ‘STAR WITNESS’ IN DIDDY'S FEDERAL SEX CRIMES TRIAL: EXPERT

"Corroborating Cassie Ventura’s testimony, Dawn Richard provided eyewitness accounts of multiple occasions where the defendant struck or attempted to strike Ventura, and also testified to Combs’ controlling behavior in stating that Combs allegedly said that he ‘owned’ Ventura and that her success would be on his terms," Perlstein said.

"As far as the RICO charges, Dawn also testified that Combs threatened her to maintain her silence, which can be perceived as an attempt to intimidate witnesses and obstruct justice. Her testimony supports the prosecution’s RICO case."

Richard testified Monday that she told Cassie to leave Diddy after witnessing the Bad Boy Records founder’s violent behavior toward his girlfriend. Although Cassie was allegedly torn, Richard testified that Cassie would listen, but she could see the fear.

DIDDY TRIAL: CASSIE VENTURA'S 5 MOST EXPLOSIVE CLAIMS AGAINST RAPPER

The singer said she "observed Cassie being attacked." She alleged that Diddy came downstairs screaming, hit her in the head and beat her around.

Richard claimed Diddy "came downstairs angry saying where the f--- is his eggs." She then alleged Diddy grabbed a skillet of eggs and attempted to hit Cassie in the head.

Cassie allegedly fell to the ground, anticipating the hit, but it didn't hit her.

"She went into a fetal position ... literally trying to hide her face," Richard said.

"Richard’s testimony is highly impactful because it corroborates Ventura’s account," former federal prosecutor Neama Ramani told Fox News Digital. "Her witnessing Combs attempt to hit Ventura with a skillet, kick her when she was in the fetal position and drag her by the hair was one of the most graphic of the trial so far. Richard also [allegedly] suffered her own abuse. She [claimed she] was groped and threatened not to speak out."

Rahmani added, "The prosecution has to corroborate Ventura’s testimony with that of independent witnesses. The defense scored points with Ventura’s emails and text messages. But Richard’s testimony shows a pattern of physical violence and helps rebut the defense’s argument that the conduct was consensual."

Richard told the court on Friday that one day after an alleged altercation in which she "observed Cassie being attacked," the "Missing You" rapper told her it was par for the course in a normal relationship.

WATCH ON FOX NATION: WHAT DIDDY DO?

Diddy and Richard were in the recording studio when he allegedly said that what was witnessed the day before was "passion" and what people in relationships do. He claimed Cassie was OK and that it was best if they didn't say anything.

The rapper allegedly said that where he's from, people go missing. She heard his words to mean that people end up dead.

Diddy allegedly didn’t like Richard talking to Cassie and that Diddy would tell her to "stay the f--- out of my relationship." Richard claimed Combs told them if she didn’t stay in line there would be consequences.

Richard also testified that she was willing to work with Diddy again even after he allegedly threatened her life.

Diddy’s defense lawyer, Nicole Westmoreland, asked Richard about reaching out to Combs as recently as 2020 or 2021. Richard testified that if they got Diddy – Dirty Money back together, she would be required to be around Combs often: working, writing, touring, traveling out of state and out of the country. 

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Richard told Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitzi Steiner that she reached out to Diddy to work with him after ending their professional relationship because Kalenna Harper, the third member of Diddy – Dirty Money, requested it.

Richard explained contact was sporadic, but she wanted to get Diddy – Dirty Money back together because of the issues Harper was allegedly having. According to Richard, she didn’t want to go back to work with Diddy because "it wasn’t good." She claimed she just wanted to help a friend.

Kerry Morgan also testified and claimed Diddy physically assaulted her in 2018, leading to the end of her friendship with the "Me & U" singer. Diddy's lawyer questioned Morgan about why that would break up her friendship with Cassie. Morgan replied, "I draw my line at physical abuse." According to Morgan’s testimony, she and Cassie have not spoken in seven years.

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Morgan cut off contact after Cassie offered her $30,000 to sign a NDA about Diddy's alleged abuse after she claimed he assaulted her at Cassie's home in 2018.

They were allegedly listening to music when Diddy walked into the room. Cassie allegedly proceeded to lock herself in the bathroom.

WATCH: SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS ASSAULTS CASSIE VENTURA IN 2016 LOS ANGELES HOTEL INCIDENT

"He came up behind me, choked me" Morgan claimed, before Diddy allegedly threw a hanger at her head, which hit her right behind her ear. She allegedly suffered a concussion from the incident and was treated at an urgent care.

Diddy was charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution in a federal indictment unsealed Sept. 17. He has maintained his innocence. If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars or a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Authorities allege Diddy ran a criminal enterprise through his businesses, including Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises and Combs Global, among others. He used "firearms, threats of violence, coercion and verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse" to fulfill his sexual desires, according to prosecutors.

Fox News' Maria Paronich contributed to this report.

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