Trump-Linked Gulf Money Draws Crowds and Criticism, From Albania to Air Force One

The entanglement of the Trump circle with Gulf capital is producing political friction across continents. In Albania, Al Jazeera reported that demonstrators gathered for a 21st consecutive day, growing to tens of thousands, to oppose plans for a coastal resort associated with Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law. The protests have become a sustained test of public consent for foreign-backed luxury development on protected land.

The aircraft points to a parallel development. Euronews reported that the new presidential plane unveiled by President Trump is a converted former Qatari-owned Boeing 747, intended as a temporary aircraft until Boeing delivers the long-delayed replacement fleet in 2028. Both items center on the same theme, the visible flow of Gulf wealth into projects tied to the US presidency, and the public scrutiny it attracts.

The combination of a Qatari-origin aircraft and a Kushner-linked resort gives critics a concrete example of how Gulf money and American power now intersect.