President Donald Trump on Friday formally unveiled a new Air Force One aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, a military installation just outside Washington, D.C., showing off a luxury Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar that has been converted into the official presidential airplane. Stepping off the jet to the sound of his signature tune "God Bless the USA," Trump told assembled Air Force personnel that the aircraft had been "transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody has ever seen before."
The plane marks a striking visual departure from its predecessor. Gone is the pale, robin's-egg blue exterior that had defined presidential air travel since the administration of John F. Kennedy in the 1960s. In its place, the new aircraft features a navy blue underbelly, a red stripe, a white upper body, and gold accents — colours Trump described as being "to my taste." Inside, a pool journalist allowed on board reported leather seats, plush carpets, wooden panelling, and walls in shades of tan, gold, and light brown. The aircraft's tail carries a large American flag, and the presidential seal is displayed on the side where Trump boards.
The Qatar gift — a Boeing 747-8 with a new-build value of roughly $400 million — has drawn sustained criticism from Democrats and some Republicans on ethical, constitutional, and national security grounds. Critics have raised concerns about the influence a foreign government might gain through such a lavish gift, and Democratic senators estimated that the security conversion, carried out by defence company L3Harris Technologies, could cost over $1 billion. That work involved stripping the aircraft for security, upgrading communications to prevent eavesdropping, and adding missile-defence capabilities. The Air Force said the modifications met rigorous presidential standards, with Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink stating that security of the commander-in-chief was "our highest priority." Trump has dismissed criticism of the arrangement, calling it "stupid" to turn down the offer, and has said the plane will eventually be donated to his presidential library.
The new jet is intended as a transitional aircraft to bridge a significant gap in the presidential fleet. Boeing was contracted in 2018 to deliver two purpose-built 747-8s, designated VC-25B, under a fixed-price contract of $3.9 billion. That programme is now roughly four years behind schedule, with delivery pushed to mid-2028 — potentially leaving Trump without a permanent replacement before his term ends in January 2029. Boeing's costs on the project have ballooned to more than $5 billion. The two older presidential jets, known as VC-25As, will remain in service alongside the Qatari plane until the new aircraft arrive.
Trump announced that the new jet will make its international debut at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, next month, and will also lead what he called the "greatest flyover in American history" during the country's 250th Independence Day celebrations on 4 July. He also indicated a future trip to China for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November. The same red, white, navy, and gold colour scheme will be applied to the VC-25Bs and to four modified Boeing 757-200s used to transport the vice president and other senior officials.