Former President Donald Trump sparked fresh intrigue and controversy the day after Christmas, flooding his Truth Social platform with a rapid-fire series of posts that included a revealing new image from the Oval Office.
A Social Media Onslaught and a Mysterious Model
In the early hours of Friday, 26 December 2025, Trump maintained a relentless pace on his social media platform, posting on average every two minutes. Amidst messages targeting Senate procedures and unemployment figures, one post stood out: a photograph of the president beaming behind the Resolute Desk, proudly displaying a detailed model of a new aircraft.
The model jet, featured without any explanatory caption from Trump, bore the prominent slogan 'America First' along with the number '250' on its tail section. This appears to be a direct reference to the United States' upcoming semiquincentennial anniversary in 2026. Trump has previously announced ambitious plans to mark the 250th anniversary, including a UFC event on the White House lawn and a youth athletic competition dubbed the 'Patriot Games'.
Ethical Questions and the Qatar Jet Connection
The image, also shared by the official White House account, quickly drew pointed questions from followers online. Many queried whether the miniature plane represented the $400 million Boeing 747 jet gifted to Trump by the Qatari government earlier in the year.
Trump accepted the luxury aircraft to serve as a stand-in for Air Force One, citing delays in the official replacement programme. The move triggered a significant ethics controversy, with critics arguing it potentially violated the Constitution's emoluments clause. However, Justice Department lawyers, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House counsel David Warrington, swiftly ruled the donation 'legally permissible'.
Despite Trump's assurance that the jet would eventually be donated to his presidential library, reports in late July confirmed the US had begun an expensive refit of the Qatari plane, with the former president suggesting it could be operational by February 2026.
Epstein Comments Amid the Festive Posts
The aviation reveal was part of a broader and often contentious posting spree. Trump's Christmas Day activity included a lengthy statement on the Jeffrey Epstein case, in which he claimed to have severed ties with the late financier 'long before it became fashionable'. He dismissed the controversy surrounding the release of Epstein's client files as a 'Radical Left Witch Hunt' aimed at damaging his political opponents.
This theme continued into Boxing Day, with Trump sharing a news article alleging the Epstein files were 'blowing back' on Democratic figures. The combination of the mysterious plane model and the incendiary commentary ensured the former president's holiday period remained firmly in the public and political spotlight.
