U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled a refurbished former Qatari Boeing 747 set to serve as a temporary Air Force One. The bridge aircraft is meant to ease pressure on the ageing fleet until Boeing delivers the long-delayed replacements.
"This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody's ever seen before," Trump said in a speech at Joint Base Andrews on Friday.
The aircraft has a red, white and navy blue livery in place of the robin's egg blue exterior seen on the older presidential jet, which has carried presidents since George H W Bush for nearly 40 years. Its tail carries a wavy US national flag.
At the unveiling ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, which is home to the presidential aircraft, Trump said,
"The biggest difference is the difference in size. It's like virtually double the size." He added, "These are the new colours – red, white, and blue. We liked the baby blue, but it was time for a change... I like the colour of the American flag."
According to Donald Trump, he turned to the Emir of Qatar after becoming frustrated with delays in Boeing's Air Force One replacement programme and growing comparisons between the ageing US presidential fleet and newer aircraft used by foreign governments.
"I asked the Emir if we could use the brand new 747," Trump said, adding that the aircraft had relatively few flight hours. "See, a normal president wouldn't do this. A normal president wants to stay away from aircraft. But our country has to be represented properly," he said.
White House acknowledges the need of a new aircraft. Air Force One experiencing minor mechanical issues as U.S. President Donald Trump began his trip to Davos, Switzerland, Tuesday evening proved his point that the U.S. needs to update its presidential plane.
"The minor mechanical issue proves that President Trump was right again," according to White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly.
The US Air Force said the aircraft will soon begin "commissioning flights", describing them as its "final exam" before it can be used to transport the president.
The Air Force said any plane designated Air Force One "must meet rigorous security requirements" and that the Qatari jet "was modified under a disciplined engineering approach that prioritised these exact core capabilities above all else".
Modifications to the jet included upgrades in security, mission communications, logistics support, and advanced technology, the Air Force said. Any potential threats from the previously owned aircraft have been "neutralised", it added.
The interiors of the aircraft have been minimally changed, and the exterior has received a fresh red, white, blue and gold paint job.
The Department of Defense in May 2025 formally accepted a luxury Boeing 747-8 from Qatar to serve as a new Air Force One, which could serve as a replacement for the two current Air Force Ones.
Both Democrats and Republicans criticized Trump after he announced the Department of Defense planned to accept the jumbo jet from the government of Qatar, arguing the gift is riddled with both espionage concerns and constitutional questions.
Critics argued that accepting such a high-value donation posed a conflict of interest and may be unconstitutional.
While federal law indicates that US officials can only accept gifts under $480, the White House has insisted that accepting the aircraft is legal, and pledged that it will be donated to Trump's presidential library once he leaves office.
"The workmanship of this plane is when you see it, you won't believe it," Trump said in his speech.
"Actually, the quality of woods, the quality of the materials, the quality of the engines - these engines are the finest, they're the best in the world, nothing like it."
"It's really an honour," the president added. "And I want to thank the Emir of Qatar."
Prior to the addition of the Qatari jet, the Air Force One fleet included two 747-200B jets that have been in use since 1990. One of those older models appears to have now been phased out, according to White House communications director Steven Cheung.
"'Well done, good and faithful servant'", Cheung wrote on X, alongside a photo of the older plane. "The Last Ride," he added.
U.S. Air Force says, the new jet will be used by the president on an interim basis until Boeing delivers its two long-promised VC-25B jets, which are meant for longer-term Air Force One use but have faced significant production delays.
"We are proud to deliver the VC-25B Bridge aircraft to the President," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen Ken Wilsbach said.
Donald Trump said that the new Air Force One will do a flyover during the July 4 celebrations at the National Mall as America marks its 250th Independence Day.
He also said he will take the new jet to the NATO summit in Turkey next month. Trump's return from the Group of 7 summit in France on Thursday was the last planned trip aboard the old Air Force One.
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