President Trump on Friday introduced the newly refurbished aircraft donated by Qatar that will serve as Air Force One, calling it a “flying White House with a level of luxury no one has ever seen before.”
Mr. Trump, who received a tour of the plane at Joint Base Andrews, announced that the aircraft will lead a flyover on July 4 during the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration.
“We’re gonna have a lot of planes flying over the Capitol and the White House,” the president said. “This is going to lead the brigade.”
He promised “a lot of maneuvers” on July 4.
President Donald Trump speaks after touring …
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The U.S. accepted the $400 million plane from Qatar as a gift last year.
Asked about changing the color scheme from the current blue-and-white plane, Mr. Trump said, “I like the color of the American flag. That makes sense.”
The U.S. Air Force said the VC-25B Bridge aircraft for the Presidential Airlift Group will start commissioning flights before it begins service as part of the executive airlift fleet, known as Air Force One.
Described by Air Force officials as “fresh from receiving its new red, white, and blue livery and the final government modifications,” the aircraft is a modified Boeing 747-8 that serves as an interim presidential transport aircraft and has entered service to provide critical, secure continuity for the president.
Officials said the delivery of the Bridge aircraft fulfills an imperative to relieve pressure on the aging VC-25A fleet as heavy maintenance cycles extend, safeguarding the continuity of presidential airlift operations until the long-term Boeing VC-25B enters service.
Air Force officials said the former Qatari jet will serve as a “bridge” until Boeing is ready to deliver a pair of new aircraft, which is now expected in 2028.
Air Force officials say that commissioning flights are the “final exam” for the aircraft modification, providing an opportunity to validate mission-capability, while also finalizing protocols required to safely and securely transport the president.
“The safety and security of the commander in chief is our highest priority,” said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. “From the beginning, we meticulously evaluated every requirement to accelerate delivery while maintaining the high standards expected of the presidential mission. This effort proves that the U.S. Air Force can move fast without sacrificing quality, security, or reliability.”
Once these flights are completed, the aircraft is officially “commissioned” into the active executive airlift fleet and becomes available for presidential missions, along with the VC-25A and C-32 fleets.
The existing VC-25A fleet (blue-and-white 747-200s that have served as Air Force One since 1990) is aging and requires increasingly heavy maintenance. The Bridge aircraft fills the gap until the long-delayed permanent VC-25B replacement enters service.
Because the aircraft was owned by Qatar, an interagency team developed protocols to “detect and neutralize potential technical hazards on the previously owned aircraft,” Air Force officials noted. The Air Force finished modifying and testing the Boeing 747 jet last month.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted the luxury jet a year ago despite questions about the ethics and legality of accepting an expensive gift from a foreign nation, as well as concerns about security and cyber intelligence. Mr. Trump had defended the gift to save tax dollars.
Mr. Trump has said he would not fly around in the aircraft when his term ends and the plane would be donated to a future presidential library, similar to how the Boeing 707 used by President Ronald Reagan was decommissioned and put on display as a museum piece.
