Trump unveils refurbished Qatar jet as temporary Air Force One

Washington,UPDATED: Jun 20, 2026 06:00 IST

US President Donald Trump has unveiled a refurbished Air Force One jet previously owned by Qatar, with the aircraft set to begin commissioning flights before it starts carrying the president early next month. The Boeing 747-8i will act as a temporary presidential aircraft until the new planes ordered from Boeing are delivered, most likely by 2028.

The aircraft has a red, white and navy blue livery in place of the robin's egg blue exterior seen on the older presidential jet, which has carried presidents since George H W Bush for nearly 40 years. Its tail carries a wavy US national flag.

At a brief ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, which is home to the presidential aircraft, Trump said, "The biggest difference is the difference in size. It's like virtually double the size." He added, "These are the new colours – red, white, and blue. We liked the baby blue, but it was time for a change... I like the colour of the American flag."

The US Air Force said the aircraft will soon begin "commissioning flights", describing them as its "final exam" before it can be used to transport the president. The Air Force said any plane designated Air Force One "must meet rigorous security requirements" and that the Qatari jet "was modified under a disciplined engineering approach that prioritised these exact core capabilities above all else".

Trump said he turned to the Emir of Qatar after becoming frustrated with delays in Boeing's Air Force One replacement programme and growing comparisons between the ageing US presidential fleet and newer aircraft used by foreign governments. "I asked the Emir if we could use the brand new 747," Trump said, adding that the aircraft had relatively few flight hours. "See, a normal president wouldn't do this. A normal president wants to stay away from aircraft. But our country has to be represented properly," he said.

The president said the new Air Force One will do a flyover during the July 4 celebrations at the Mall as America marks its 250th Independence Day. He also said he will take the new jet to the NATO summit in Turkey next month. Trump's return from the Group of 7 summit in France on Thursday was the last planned trip aboard the old Air Force One.

"We are proud to deliver the VC-25B Bridge aircraft to the President," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen Ken Wilsbach said. The Air Force has previously said security modifications to the jet would cost less than USD 400 million. In a statement, it said delivery of the bridge aircraft would ease pressure on the ageing VC-25A fleet as heavy maintenance cycles extend, while ensuring continuity of presidential airlift operations until the long-term Boeing VC-25B enters service.

With commissioning flights due to begin soon, the refurbished Qatari jet is set to replace the older presidential aircraft for now and serve as a bridge until Boeing delivers the new fleet.

With PTI Inputs

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