Trump takes first flight on new Air Force One, a gift from Qatar
The luxury plane, worth about US$400 million, had extensive modifications, paid for by taxpayers, before being cleared for use
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday took his maiden voyage on a new Air Force One – a retrofitted Boeing 747-800 worth US$400 million gifted by Qatar that embeds his personality more deeply into the institution of the American presidency.
Gone is the trademark light blue hull that helped Air Force One blend into the sky. The refurbished jet is painted in Trump’s preferred colour scheme: a navy-blue belly with red and gold stripes.
It has the luxury features that the president believes a commander-in-chief’s entourage should have – plush carpets, lie-flat seats, wood panelling and a presidential seal on the seat belts, according to reported tours of the plane.
Trump told reporters that he was proud of the luxurious plane. “To be honest with you, I’m excited about the first flight,” he said. “You can low-key it or you can show it. And I think the country should be very proud of it. And it’s beautiful.”
The retrofitted Qatari jet is intended to serve as a “bridge” between the ageing Boeing jets that have served as Air Force One for the last 36 years and two new aircraft, which are years behind schedule and expected to be delivered in 2028 at the earliest. Trump toured the new jet just weeks after returning to the White House last year and directed that it be prepared for his use for the bulk of his remaining time in office.
The compressed timetable set by the president limited the modifications to the plane. Images of the jet captured since its unveiling and analysed by Associated Press show that it is not equipped with at least some of the same missile detection and countermeasure systems as the outgoing Cold War-era jets.