Retrofitted Qatari jet takes first flight as Air Force One with Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on July 01, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Finn Gomez | Getty Images President Donald Trump on Wednesday is taking his maiden voyage on a new Air Force One — a retrofitted Boeing 747 worth $400 million gifted by Qatar that embeds his personality more deeply into the institution of the American presidency. Gone is the trademark light blue hull that helped Air Force One blend into the sky. The refurbished jet is painted to Trump’s preferred color scheme of a navy belly and red and gold stripes. It has the luxury features that the president believes a commander-in-chief’s entourage should have — plush carpets, lie-flat seats, wood paneling and a presidential seal on the seat belts, according to reported tours of the plane. Trump told reporters that he was proud of the luxurious plane. “You can do two things: You can low-key it, or you can show it,” he said. The jet is carrying Trump to North Dakota to see the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, …
