Trump & the Jett Set

By Alex Miller

US President Donald Trump is always stirring controversy – with his Sun (22 Gemini) closely conjunct Uranus (17 Gemini), planet of disruption, shocks, surprises and the unexpected, it just comes naturally to him.  And with Uranus in the sky right now (26 Taurus) squared (90 degrees) his Ascendant (29 Leo), the point which affects our public image and how others see us, the controversies are very public and piling on fast.

Take Trump’s recent acceptance of a flying “palace in the sky” from the Qatari royal family.  The luxury jet, valued at some $400 million, is a gift offered to replace Air Force One, the presidential plane, but will be retained by The Donald after his retirement.  Stated plans are to include it in his presidential library, much in the manner of Ronald Reagan.

But the emoluments clause in the US Constitution is very clear – it prohibits any U.S. government official accepting gifts “from any King, Prince or foreign State,” without the approval of Congress.  The administration is attempting an end-run around the law, claiming the Defense Department is accepting the jet as “temporary transport” for the president, which will then be donated to his library.  But the aboveboard corruption and venality of the situation has created considerable backlash from both sides of the aisle; amongst the objections are the inability to properly confirm that no listening devices or other espionage efforts have been included in the jet’s preparation, certainly not the least of the risks in accepting this “gift.”

If sparking controversy is natural for Trump, unfortunately, so is corruption.  That Sun/Uranus pairing squares asteroid Swindle (20 Virgo), affording a ready outlet for his worst instincts, and making dishonesty and corruption (Swindle) a self-defining (Sun) part of his character.  Worse, an opposition from Swindle to asteroid Arabia (16 Pisces), also squared the Sun, forms a dynamic T-Square, providing a welcome geopolitical audience for grift, graft, and bribery to any nation state on the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia and Qatar included.

That’s the basic set-up.  For details of this incident specifically, we can turn to asteroid Jett.  In Trump’s birth chart, asteroids Jett and Lie are exactly conjunct (17 Taurus), conjoined his Midheaven (24 Taurus), governing career, status, reputation and place in the world.  Given that confluence, I think we may reasonably assume that Trump is being less than honest (Lie) about the fate of his new toy (Jett), which will likely end up in a private hanger in West Palm Beach.

Celestial timing is always perfect, and this natal pairing is currently being spotlighted by the illuminating Sun (at 22 Taurus when the deal was announced), and squared by asteroid Swindle (13 Aquarius), just to rub it in.  Transit Uranus (26 Taurus) is here as well, and also conjoins asteroids America (1 Gemini) and Jett (4 Gemini), doubling down on the controversial gift (Jett) to the US president (America).  Tying up this grouping in a golden venal bow is asteroid Arabia, opposed (180 degrees) from 7 Sagittarius.

But there’s a fly in this cosmic ointment – Damocles, noted as the threat or peril hanging unseen overhead, about to descend at any moment.  Damocles (at 7 Pisces) forms another T-Square with the America/Jett – Arabia polarity, implying that there may be unintended consequences from Trump’s avid acquisition of this palace in the sky.  Already the incident appears to be showing cracks in the facade of lockstep Republican support for Donald Trump – an early warning sign of the dam bursting? 

Sources:  Donald J Trump birth data from astro.com

Title Image Credit:  Trump image by heblo from Pixabay; jet image by Muhammad Hasan Firdaus from Pixabay; combined by author