Rahm Emanuel Tells The View He Turned Down ‘Priceless’ Saudi Arabia Bribe While Blasting Trump Over Qatar Plane
Rahm Emanuel recalled on The View being greeted with a briefcase of “priceless” jewelry during a trip to Saudi Arabia with former President Barack Obama.
Emanuel, former mayor of Chicago and ambassador to Japan, told the tale as he accused President Donald Trump’s administration of blatant “corruption.” Trump has faced bipartisan backlash recently over a plan to accept a $400 million plane from Qatar. The president is currently on a trip in the Middle East.
“The White House has a for sale sign on the front lawn. And everybody knows it. Look, I’m from Chicago, we got a low bar. This is a cash-and-carry business over at this White House. You focused on the plane. Legitimately, literally, while they’re negotiating against China on the trade deal he just took $300 million in his Bitcoin business from a Chinese company associated with the Chinese Communist Party,” Emanuel said after being asked about the plane by View co-host Joe Behar.
He then recalled that while serving as chief of staff in Obama’s White House, they made their first trip to Saudi Arabia where Emanuel was presented with a bribe.
“When I went to Saudi Arabia with President Obama, first trip, first thing — we’re at the king’s ranch for his horses. And let me just say, the horses look better than section 8 public housing in America. You get there and walk in the room and there was an ostrich briefcase. I open it up, diamond necklaces, earrings, bracelets. priceless rings,” Emanuel described.
“In your room?” a surprised Sunny Hostin asked.
“Yeah, and I took a photo and I sent it to my wife Amy and I said, not happening,” Emanuel said, adding he then informed State Department officials so they could “chronicle” the incident.
The former White House official turned his attention back to Trump and argued that independent voters are turning away from Trump and “rubber stamp” Republicans enabling him.
“They want to break on this. That’s why the entire focus should be for the Democrats, 2026. You’ve got a do-nothing — you’ve got a Republican Congress that is a rubber,” Emanuel said. “They’re literally, they put the three monkeys to shame. See no evil, speak no evil. Hear no evil. And somebody needs to be a break on this chaos and this corruption.”
Watch above via ABC.
