Chuck Schumer says he is placing a hold on Trump DOJ nominees amid questions on Qatar's luxury jet gift

WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N

WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Tuesday he is placing a hold on all Trump Justice Department nominees as he seeks answers on the administration's plan to accept a luxury jet from Qatar to be used as Air Force One.

"In light of the deeply troubling news of a possible Qatari-funded Air Force One, and the reports that the Attorney General personally signed off on this clearly unethical deal, I am announcing a hold on all DOJ political nominees, until we get more answers,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.

The minority leader presented a list of questions and demands he says the Trump administration must respond to before he lifts his hold on nominees.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer at the U.S. Capitol on May 6, 2025.Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images"President Trump has told the American people this is, 'a free jet.' Does that mean the Qataris are delivering a ready-on-day-one plane with all the security measures already built in? If so, who installed those security measures, and how do we know they were properly installed?" Schumer asked. "If this is, as President Trump promised, a free jet, will the Qataris pay for those highly sensitive installations, or will American taxpayers cover the cost?"

Schumer can’t block these nominees with this tactic, but he can slow down their consideration. It’s not really clear if the judicial nominees would have already been held for various other reasons, considering the vast majority of Trump nominees have been held in this way already.