Trump marvels at the richness of his Arab hosts while watching the White House and the updated One Air Force

Doha, Qatar (AP) – Donald Trump is the most powerful and famous person on the planet, at the head of the largest economy and the strongest army.

But on his trip to the Middle East this week, the US president sounds more than a little envious of his Arab hosts.

I admired marble in the Qatar Palace as “perfect” and “very difficult to buy.” He praised the “wonderful wonders” of the horizon in Saudi Arabia. And he complained about the “much smaller” and “much less impressive” plane that is Air Force One.

On his flight to the region, Trump said the Gulf States have “these new Boeing 747”, while they were caught using a version of almost 40 years.

The president is so impatient for a replacement plane that he is considering accepting a donated model of Qatar, despite the concerns that he could be less safe, expensive to modernize and a violation of the prohibition of the United States constitution on foreign gifts. He did not present any national security imperative for rapid update instead of waiting for Boeing to finish the new Air Force One aircraft that have been in process for years.

It sounded like a case of keeping up with the jones, only in this case the Jones are rich oil leaders of the Middle East autocracies. For a former real estate developer with extravagant tastes, Trump’s trip has been a tempting glance in the life of his most opulent counterparts.

“The work you have done is insurmountable,” Trump told Qatar Tamim Bin Bin Hamad Al Thani, contemplating his surroundings in the palace known as Amiri Diwan. “You look at this, it’s as beautiful. As a construction person, I see a perfect marble. This is what they call perfect.”

There have been other luxurious touches on the trip, which will end with a stop at the United Arab Emirates. Air Force One received escorts from combat airplanes, honor guards with golden swords in Riad, Saudi Arabia, and the presidential limousine was well received by riders in camel in Doha, Qatar.

“We appreciate those camels,” Trump told Al Thani. “I have not seen camels like that in a long time. That was a greeting.”

Brendan Smialowski through Getty Images

He continued praising Qatar at a state dinner, where he reflected that “there was no tree out of place” in the landscape. Trump was amazed by Lusil’s accommodation, a new city outside Doha that was built from scratch.

“This is not your normal house. This is a palace,” he said after signing the visits book.

Nothing was said about migrant workers who ran to develop the country’s infrastructure for the World Cup tournament three years ago, or the lack of political freedom of Qatar, which makes possible a possible central planning elaborated.

The admiration of the Republican President reflects an aesthetic and political vision in disagreement with the US tradition. After declaring the independence of the British monarchy, the founding parents wanted to avoid anything that suggested royalties. Even when the United States emerged as the global superpower, the country and its leaders emphasized a facade of humility.

But that has never been Trump’s style. The attic of New York City of the billionaire is adorned with gold and marble, and parts of its Mar-A-Lago Club in Florida are modeled after the Palace of Versailles of France.

After winning a second mandate last year, Trump is anxious to contribute the same approach to the presidency, and his desire for renovations is likely to be feeding. The White House, despite its greatness, can be quite narrow. The office space is limited, and state dinners are sometimes carried out in an elegant store to accommodate enough guests.

Trump said he wants to build “a beautiful and beautiful dance hall like me in Mar-a-lago, as beautiful as it can.” He promised to pay the invoice of $ 100 million.

“I think we have overcome the things in the store, right, don’t you think?” He said recently.

Trump has also talked about paving the grass in the rose garden, making it a patio with “beautiful stone” that would be easier to celebrate events.

Some updates have already taken place, particularly in the Oval office. There are gold accents in the fireplace, the arches of the door, the walls and other areas of the room. The walls have been filled more and more portraits of past presidents. A model of a new Air Force One, complete with a painting scheme that echoes its personal plane, is located at a table in the center of the room.

A precious addition is a copy of the declaration of independence, which is hidden behind a curtain to protect it from sunlight. Sometimes it dramatically presents the document for guests.

“You see the new and improved Oval office as it becomes increasingly beautiful,” the president told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during a recent visit. He said he has been renewed “with great love and gold of 24 carats, that always helps.”

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Megerian reported from Washington.