WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump took to the skies Wednesday aboard a new version of Air Force One, making his inaugural flight on a retrofitted Boeing 747 donated by Qatar and valued at $400 million. The aircraft reflects the president’s personal style and marks a notable change to one of the most recognizable symbols of the American presidency.
The plane’s familiar light blue exterior — long associated with Air Force One — has been replaced with a color scheme more to Trump’s liking: a dark navy underside accented by red and gold stripes. Inside, the jet has been outfitted with high-end finishes including plush carpeting, lie-flat seating, wood panel accents, and a presidential seal embroidered on the seat belts, based on reported tours of the aircraft.
Trump spoke candidly to reporters about his pride in the new plane. “You can do two things: You can low-key it, or you can show it,” he said.
The president’s destination on this maiden voyage was North Dakota, where he visited the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library as its first official guest before the library opens to the public on the nation’s 250th anniversary.
While the gift from the Middle Eastern nation has drawn ethical questions, Trump has defended it as a practical solution, pointing to the age of the aircraft it replaces — planes that are roughly 35 years old. “This is a gift from a country that has treated us very well,” he said.
The Qatari jet is not intended to be a permanent fixture. Boeing is expected to deliver purpose-built Air Force One replacements in 2028, following significant delays. Trump has previously indicated the Qatar-gifted plane would eventually find a home in a presidential library.
The U.S. Air Force stated that it made minimal changes to the plane’s cabin layout and that security-related upgrades cost less than $400 million.
