Ask A Genius 1375: Trump, Qatar, and Media Misinformation: Ethics, Distraction, and the 2024 Election
Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2025/05/14
Rick Rosner is an accomplished television writer with credits on shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Crank Yankers, and The Man Show. Over his career, he has earned multiple Writers Guild Award nominations—winning one—and an Emmy nomination. Rosner holds a broad academic background, graduating with the equivalent of eight majors. Based in Los Angeles, he continues to write and develop ideas while spending time with his wife, daughter, and two dogs.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen is the publisher of In-Sight Publishing (ISBN: 978-1-0692343) and Editor-in-Chief of In-Sight: Interviews (ISSN: 2369-6885). He writes for The Good Men Project, International Policy Digest (ISSN: 2332–9416), The Humanist (Print: ISSN 0018-7399; Online: ISSN 2163-3576), Basic Income Earth Network (UK Registered Charity 1177066), A Further Inquiry, and other media. He is a member in good standing of numerous media organizations.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen and Rick Rosner discuss a flood of political misinformation and ethical concerns surrounding Trump, including alleged foreign gifts, ties to Qatar, and misleading narratives about white South African persecution. They critique conservative media influence, Republican budget priorities, and systemic trolling aimed at distraction. Structural reform may not come before 2026.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: I mentioned an article. There has been an avalanche of trolling outrages—deliberate, it seems. So much contradictory, outrageous bullshit that you cannot even keep up with it. That is the strategy: flood the zone with nonsense.
Rick Rosner: Let us start with the alleged bribe. Under the U.S. Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, presidents are prohibited from accepting gifts from foreign states without congressional consent. That threshold is typically around $415(not $600), adjusted for inflation. Qatar has been reported to have loaned or offered the use of a luxury aircraft—a Boeing 747-8, which can cost upwards of $400 million—to Donald Trump or Trump-associated entities. Still, no verified evidence exists that the plane was gifted outright to Trump. The claim appears to stem from speculation or misreporting; however, Qatar has had extensive dealings with the Trump Organization, including Trump properties hosting Qatari officials.
Advertisement
Privacy Settings
His former Attorney General, William Barr, has defended Trump on various legal fronts, including minimizing or dismissing ethics allegations. Still, no public record exists of him authoring a legal justification for accepting a Qatari plane.
As for connections to Qatar, Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, had no documented job with Qatar paying $115,000 a month. However, Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, did receive $2 billion in funding from a Saudi sovereign wealth fund after leaving the White House, which raised ethical questions. Some former Trump officials have also worked for lobbying firms representing Qatar.
Thing one: a foreign government allegedly offering or providing access to immense luxury for a sitting or former U.S. president—deeply problematic and potentially unlawful.
Thing two: Afrikaners—white South Africans—gaining entry into the U.S. under the narrative of being “persecuted” in post-apartheid South Africa. In 2018, Trump tweeted that his administration would look into “farm seizures and killings” of white farmers in South Africa, echoing a white nationalist talking point with no credible evidence of systemic targeting. There is no major resettlement program prioritizing Afrikaners over other refugees, and there is no verified mass entry of white South Africans receiving special treatment or American flags upon arrival. However, the symbolic use of patriotism in conservative media often centers on such narratives.
Then there is the broader context. A Fox News personality, Jeanine Pirro, was not officially appointed to a Trump administration role but has been a vocal ally. You might be thinking of former Fox News contributors like John Bolton, Larry Kudlow, and Heather Nauert, who did hold official posts. Over 20 individuals from Fox News took roles in or advised the Trump administration.
The Republican budget proposals, particularly under Trump and post-Trump leadership, have included efforts to cut Medicaid, often in block grants or work requirements, while simultaneously seeking to extend tax cuts that disproportionately benefit high-income earners and corporations.
Jacobsen: A lot is going on, and yes, much of it seems like deliberate trolling—overloading the public with distractions and culture war outrage while policy changes happen quietly in the background. Can it be stopped?
Rosner: Not completely until 2026, when the next complete congressional cycle comes through. The 2024 election is pivotal, but structural issues may persist regardless of the outcome.
Last updated May 3, 2025. These terms govern all In Sight Publishing content—past, present, and future—and supersede any prior notices. In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen is licensed under a Creative Commons BY‑NC‑ND 4.0; © In Sight Publishing by Scott Douglas Jacobsen 2012–Present. All trademarks, performances, databases & branding are owned by their rights holders; no use without permission. Unauthorized copying, modification, framing or public communication is prohibited. External links are not endorsed. Cookies & tracking require consent, and data processing complies with PIPEDA & GDPR; no data from children < 13 (COPPA). Content meets WCAG 2.1 AA under the Accessible Canada Act & is preserved in open archival formats with backups. Excerpts & links require full credit & hyperlink; limited quoting under fair-dealing & fair-use. All content is informational; no liability for errors or omissions: Feedback welcome, and verified errors corrected promptly. For permissions or DMCA notices, email: scott.jacobsen2025@gmail.com. Site use is governed by BC laws; content is “as‑is,” liability limited, users indemnify us; moral, performers’ & database sui generis rights reserved.
In-Sight Publishing 