Trump unveils Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet

President Donald Trump on Friday unveiled a new Boeing 747-8 intended to serve as Air Force One, offering the first public look at a luxury aircraft the United States accepted as a gift from Qatar and plans to use during July 4 events marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Trump descended the stairs of the hulking jet inside a hangar at Joint Base Andrews, the military installation outside Washington that has long served as the presidential airport. He greeted Air Force officials and spoke to a crowd of service members as the aircraft, newly painted in a red, white and dark-blue color scheme, sat behind him.

“There will never be one like this. This is very unique. This is considered the world’s most luxurious plane,” Trump said. “When it was built, it was built at a level that will probably never be seen again.”

He also called it “the largest and the greatest in every aspect” and said, “Nobody tops this one, and that’s the way we have to have it for our country, nobody even comes close.” The plane, he added, will be a “flying White House at a level of luxury no one has ever seen before.”

Trump said the aircraft will lead a July 4 flyover in Washington “the likes of which we’ve never seen before,” involving other military planes. He also said the hangar where he spoke had to be specially constructed to hold the new jet, which is larger than the current aircraft used for presidential travel.

The Air Force said Friday the plane will soon begin “commissioning flights,” describing them as a “final exam” before it can transport the president. In its release, the service said the aircraft has received its new red, white and blue livery and final government modifications and has “entered service to provide critical, secure continuity for the commander in chief.” NBC News reported that the Air Force referred to the plane as the VC-25B Bridge and described it as a “secure, modified executive platform.”

The aircraft is intended to ease strain on the existing presidential fleet, which consists of two 747 jumbo jets. The Air Force One designation applies to any plane carrying the president. The current military-grade 747-2 aircraft have served presidents for more than 30 years, and Trump indicated his return from the G7 summit in France this week would be his last trip on the existing fleet.

The gift from Qatar drew bipartisan criticism over ethical and security concerns. Trump has rejected those objections, arguing that accepting the aircraft benefits taxpayers. “Why should our military, and therefore our taxpayers, be forced to pay hundreds of millions of Dollars when they can get it for FREE from a country that wants to reward us for a job well done,” he wrote on Truth Social last year. “Only a FOOL would not accept this gift on behalf of our Country.”

A new Boeing 747-8 is valued at about $400 million, The New York Times reported last year, according to CBS News. Retrofitting the aircraft for presidential use was also expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. CBS News reported that the Air Force secretary told a House panel last year the retrofit would “probably” cost less than $400 million, while NBC News reported that aviation experts said the overhaul, including security upgrades, could cost more than $1 billion.

The Air Force said it prioritized operational readiness over aesthetics and left the “interior layout minimally changed,” meaning the aircraft’s luxury finishes, leather seats and glossy wood paneling are likely to remain intact. The service also said it leased a 747-8 last year for pilot and maintenance training and bought a former Lufthansa 747-8, along with a full three-dimensional mock-up of the interior for familiarization training.

Trump has said the Qatari jet will be used until a new fleet of Boeing planes is delivered to the Air Force in 2028. The White House has said the plane will ultimately be given to Trump’s presidential library foundation when he leaves office, NBC News reported. An Air Force spokesperson said the planes leaving the presidential rotation “will soon join the active executive airlift fleet,” which carries senior government officials on official travel.