Trump takes first flight in new $400 million Air Force One donated by Qatar

USA presents new Air Force One, gift from Qatar to Trump
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, made this Wednesday (1st) the first flight aboard the new Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8 donated by the government of Qatar. The aircraft took the Republican to North Dakota, where he participated in events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the country's independence.
Before boarding, at Andrews Joint Air Force Base, near Washington, Trump celebrated the plane's debut.
"To be honest, I'm thrilled with the first flight. No one has ever seen anything like it," he said.
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The Boeing was a gift from Qatar to the United States in 2025 and underwent modifications to meet the White House's safety requirements. According to Trump, the modernization cost little to the public coffers compared to the development of an equivalent aircraft. "It's a gift from a country that treated us very well," he said.
The plane should be used temporarily until Boeing delivers two new Air Force Ones to the United States Air Force. The aircraft are expected to be ready in 2028, after successive delays and increased project costs.
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According to the country's Air Force, the adaptations prioritized operational readiness, with few changes to the interior finish. Even so, images released by the White House show meeting tables, leather armchairs, wooden panels and a press box equipped with reclining seats that transform into beds, as well as a massage system and individual screens.
The donation of the aircraft generated criticism from opponents, who raised questions about possible ethical, constitutional and security implications involving the receipt of a plane from a foreign government.
US President Donald Trump speaks in front of the VC-25B Bridge plane, which will be the new Air Force One and was delivered to the US Air Force on June 19, 2026.
REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

Source: G1