Trump takes first flight on Qatar-gifted Air Force One
The US president praises luxury jet as bridge aircraft, though critics flag ethics and security gaps
US President Donald Trump took his inaugural flight aboard the newly refitted Air Force One on Wednesday, a Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar that has undergone extensive modifications since arriving last year. Speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews before departing for North Dakota, Trump said he was "excited about the first flight," adding that "nobody's ever seen anything like it."
The 80-year-old president is traveling to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library for events marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. He is expected to use the aircraft again next week for the NATO summit in Turkey.
The jet's gifting by Qatar, a wealthy Gulf state also serving as a mediator in US-Iran talks, has drawn scrutiny over its ethical, constitutional, and security implications, given the aircraft's value in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Trump rejected any suggestion of impropriety, arguing that adapting the plane cost taxpayers far less than building one domestically, saying, "We couldn't build a plane like this because we wouldn't be willing to spend the kind of money necessary."
The aircraft has been repainted in a navy blue, red, and gold scheme replacing the traditional light blue livery and features lie-flat seats, wood paneling, and other upgrades reflecting the president's preferences. The Air Force has said modifications cost under $400 million and did not alter the cabin layout significantly.
Aviation analysts have noted the jet lacks some missile detection and countermeasure systems found on the outgoing fleet, along with fewer communications antennas, suggesting it may be better suited for domestic use. The Air Force maintains the rapid conversion was completed without compromising security or communications, though it acknowledged several complex engineering elements planned for future aircraft were left out of this "bridge" version.
The jet is meant to serve in the interim before two new Boeing aircraft, delayed until at least 2028, enter service. Trump has previously said the Qatari plane will eventually be placed in a presidential library.