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On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled his new Air Force One: last year, he received a Boeing 747-8 as a gift from Qatar, which has now been modified to serve as the U.S. president’s aircraft.
According to the U.S. military, the modifications to the aircraft are now complete, and it will soon begin test flights before it can actually be used by the president. The aircraft is equipped with enhancements in the areas of security, communications, logistics, and technology. The interior was only slightly modified, and the exterior was repainted in red, white, blue, and gold.
The aircraft is valued at approximately $400 million. Trump once again thanked the emir of Qatar and described the new aircraft as a “flying White House”: “This aircraft has been converted into a flying White House with a level of luxury that no one has ever seen before,” Trump said on Friday in a speech at Joint Base Andrews.
The gift sparked criticism regarding ethics and legality when news of it broke in May 2025. Under federal law, U.S. officials may only accept gifts valued at less than $480, but the White House says the gift is legal. After Trump leaves office, the aircraft is expected to be transferred to his presidential library.
The new aircraft will be used on a temporary basis until Boeing delivers the long-delayed VC-25B replacements for the Air Force One fleet.
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