MARYLAND, U.S.A. – President Donald Trump marked his first trip aboard the new Air Force One on the morning of Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
President Trump boarded the new Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8 luxury plane gifted to the U.S. by the Qatari government, as he travelled to North Dakota for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opening.
The first flight of the new Air Force One, the VC-25B, departing for Madora, North Dakota, saw the other AF-1 rolling by in the background, serving as the backup aircraft.
Air Force One is a symbol of American strength and power across the world.
Before takeoff, President Trump hailed the 400 million dollar plane, terming it one of a kind.
“So, this was a gift from a country that has treated us very well, and they are our allies in the Middle East, Qatar. I went to Boeing and asked, “Who has the best one?” And they said Qatar. There is no plane like this,” said President Trump.
What makes the new Boeing 747 stand out
Addressing journalists at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, shortly before departure, President Trump revealed that his administration had no capacity to build such a plane.
“Frankly, we couldn’t build a plane like this because we wouldn’t be willing to spend that kind of money necessary. They (Qatar) spend top dollar on it,” he added.
President Trump reiterated that the head of Boeing assured him that the new Air Force One is considered the best 747 they have ever built.
“I went to Qatar and said I want to use it for a period of time because the other ones, as you know, are under construction. They will be here in two years, and you know the current plane is 35 years old. So, I said I want to use it, and Amir Tamim, who is a great gentleman, refused and said he wants to contribute to the country. So it was very nice,” the president further explained.
In June 2026, President Trump revealed some incredible stats on the retiring VC-25A Air Force One.
“Over its lifetime, that aircraft travelled to 96 countries on 223 international trips and flew over 6 million miles. It became the most famous aeroplane in the entire world,” he said
The two types of Air Force One jets
According to President Trump, the plane was authorised by President Ronald Reagan “so many years ago”.
“And it was flown by every president since George H.W. Bush. And it was a great plane. We had very little trouble with it,” noted Trump, the 45th and 47th U.S. president.
There were actually two identical VC-25As serving as Air Force One, but very few people knew that. SAM 28000 and SAM 29000. Even President Trump couldn’t tell the difference until boarding.
“The only way I can tell is on the desk. The wood grain is slightly different. They’re literally interchangeable,” he added.
Before the three-hour flight from Joint Base Andrews to Bismarck, ND, in North Dakota, where the overjoyed President Trump also promoted a conservation push tied to America’s 250th birthday, he said:
“This will be the first flight of one of its kind. I think it is the greatest commercial plane ever built. I have the privilege of flying it. This is my first flight. We are going to the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library opening, and that will be very good.”
President Trump reacts to the new Air Force One jet
President Trump couldn’t hide his excitement as he prepared to stop on the staircase of the luxury Qatari jumbo jet.
“To be honest with you, I am excited about the first flight. It’s something nobody has ever seen before, even you people with all your experience and talents will never see something like this,” said President Trump.
He disclosed that the plane has been modified to fit the status of a president.
“They made it appropriate for a president; that means security and all the different bells. It is really quite something, and this is a plane that the United States should have. Our Air Force One was 35 years old, and it would be parked next to this new one. So, it really didn’t look appropriate for our country. So, as a country, we are very proud of this,” President Trump further said.
United States receives the new Air Force One jet
In May 2025, the Qatari royal family gifted the United States government the approximately 14-year-old Boeing 747-8 jet, which has now been converted to serve as the new Air Force One.
The US military spent additional funds retrofitting the plane, which was donated to the Department of Defense as an unconditional gift with enhanced security, advanced communication systems, and a red, white, blue, and gold paint job.
The acceptance of the multimillion-dollar jet sparked political pushback and ethical concerns, as it exceeds standard federal limits on unsolicited gifts.
The Qatari plane acts as a “bridge” aircraft to shuttle the president until a permanent Air Force One fleet ordered from Boeing is delivered, after which this aircraft may be housed in Trump’s presidential library.
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