President Donald Trump on Friday confirmed off the brand new Air Pressure One, a formerly Qatari-owned jumbo jet that has been converted into the official U.S. presidential aircraft.
The brand new plane eschews the Kennedy-era robin’s egg blue exterior of the outdated airplane for a bolder look, with the underbelly of the airplane painted navy blue with a crimson stripe above it. The airplane’s left aspect, the place the president boards, options the presidential seal, whereas the tail of the plane has an enormous American flag on it.
“The workmanship of this airplane is, if you see it, you gained’t imagine it,” Trump stated from inside the large Andrews Air Pressure Base hangar, as a pair hundred assembled Air Pressure personnel regarded on. He spoke after stepping off the brand new airplane in a dramatic flourish, as his signature tune “God Bless the USA” performed.
The present from Qatar is serving as a so-called “bridge” plane to hold the president till the brand new planes ordered instantly from Boeing arrive. That’s at the moment slated for 2028.
The administration formally accepted a luxurious Boeing 747 jet from Qatar final yr for use because the presidential airplane, regardless of questions in regards to the ethics and legality of accepting such an costly present from a international nation. Trump has insisted previously that he wouldn’t fly round within the Qatari jet as soon as he leaves workplace and stated it might as an alternative be donated to a future presidential library.
The Air Pressure has stated previously that safety modifications to the jet would price lower than $400 million.
Trump’s efforts to reimagine the presidential airplane date back to his first administration, when he directed that an incoming fleet of recent jets would undertake a shade scheme that was almost an identical to that of his private airplane. Then-President Joe Biden reversed the decision in March 2023 as an Air Pressure evaluation steered that the darker colours may enhance prices and delay supply of the brand new jets, however as soon as Trump returned to workplace, he returned to his desired colours for the airplane.
Different authorities jets that carry different high administration officers can even use the same crimson, white and navy shade scheme, the Air Force said earlier this yr.
An Air Pressure spokesperson, who spoke on situation of anonymity to debate delicate plans, informed The Related Press that the 2 present planes, generally known as VC-25As, won’t be retiring. As a substitute, they are going to stay within the fleet till the brand new Boeing planes, known as VC-25Bs, come into service, the spokesperson stated.
It’s unclear how the older jets will likely be used however the spokesperson stated that each the Qatari jet in addition to the VC-25As will likely be obtainable to be used and “the Presidential Airlift Group will choose the suitable plane for every mission based mostly on operational necessities.”
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Kim reported from Washington. Related Press author Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report from Washington.
