US President Donald Trump took his first flight on July 1, 2026, aboard the newly configured Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8 aircraft gifted by Qatar in 2025 [1, 2, 3]. The flight departed from Joint Base Andrews near Washington DC and landed in North Dakota, where Trump attended the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library [1, 2, 4].
The aircraft was originally a luxury jet used by the Qatari royal family before being handed over to the US government in May 2025 [1, 2, 4]. After the gift, the plane underwent an extensive retrofit costing approximately US$400 million, funded by US taxpayers, to meet presidential security and operational standards [5, 3, 6]. Despite this, some reports indicated that several advanced missile detection and countermeasure systems were not installed, limiting the aircraft’s defensive capabilities mainly to domestic use initially [7]. Trump and White House officials, however, highlighted the aircraft’s comprehensive security features and technological upgrades [1, 3].
The exterior was repainted in Trump’s preferred colors, replacing the traditional light blue and white with deep blue on the underside and red, gold, and white accents [3, 6]. The interior retained luxury elements like leather seats, sofas, and a bookshelf styled as a library and was enhanced with US presidential insignia and patriotic artwork [3, 8]. Amenities included fully reclining seats with massage functions and individual entertainment screens that showed mostly Fox News during the first flight [3, 8]. Trump praised the plane, calling it "the greatest commercial plane ever" and thanked Qatar for its generosity [1, 3]. He said, "坦白說，我们根本造不出这样的飞机，因为我们不愿花这么多钱。他们可是砸下重金" (Frankly, we couldn’t build a plane like this because we’re not willing to spend that much money; they invested heavily) [9].
The previous Air Force One, a Boeing 747-200, was retired in June 2026 after over 35 years of service [1, 7]. The new gift serves as a temporary replacement until Boeing delivers two newly built presidential 747-8 aircraft, expected no earlier than 2028 [1, 6]. Trump plans to use the new Air Force One soon for an upcoming NATO summit trip to Turkey [6, 7].
Concerns were raised by critics and opposition lawmakers over the ethics and constitutionality of accepting such an expensive foreign government gift, as the US Constitution bars presidents from accepting gifts from foreign rulers without Congressional consent [1, 2, 4]. The Trump administration clarified that the plane was gifted directly to the Pentagon and will eventually be donated to the Trump Presidential Library [2, 4]. Trump expressed pride in showcasing the aircraft, stating, "你可以选择低调处理，也可以展示它，而我认为，美国应该对它感到非常自豪" (You can choose to handle this quietly or show it off; I believe America should be very proud of it) [3].
