New Presidential Jet
President Trump Unveils New Air Force One: Converted Qatari Jet Features Bold New Design
President Donald Trump unveiled a new Air Force One on June 19, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The aircraft is a converted Boeing 747-8 that was originally owned by the Qatari royal family. Trump called it "the world's most luxurious plane," according to CBS News.
The jet replaces the aging 35-year-old Boeing 747-200B that has been carrying U.S. presidents for decades. The new plane drops the iconic Kennedy-era light blue exterior for a navy blue underbelly with a red stripe. Trump confirmed it will make its international debut at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, in July, according to AP.
A Qatari Gift Filling a Boeing-Shaped Gap
The new aircraft, dubbed the "VC-25B Bridge," exists because Boeing fell badly behind. The company was supposed to deliver two brand-new presidential jets by 2024. Labor shortages and supply chain problems pushed that deadline to 2028, according to Simple Flying. Boeing has already absorbed $2.4 billion in losses on the contract, per Defense News.
Qatar's Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, offered the 747-8 to fill the gap. Trump announced the deal on May 11, 2025. The Pentagon formally accepted the airframe ten days later. Trump praised the Emir as a "fantastic guy" who helped resolve a "log jam" in presidential transport, according to The Guardian.
One Year, Under $400 Million, Military-Grade Conversion
The Air Force handed the conversion job to L3Harris, which worked out of Waco, Texas. Workers installed classified communications gear and defensive countermeasures. Much of the Qatari luxury interior was kept to speed up the work. The Air Force announced the jet passed all flight testing on May 1, 2026, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told Congress the retrofit would cost less than $400 million. The jet itself was valued at roughly $400 million as a gift. Some analysts put the true lifecycle cost closer to $1 billion when spare parts are included, according to Defense One. The new jet can fly about 8,900 miles — 1,100 miles farther than the plane it replaces, per Simple Flying.
Critics Call the Gift a Constitutional Problem
The deal has faced sharp pushback from both parties. Republican Sen. Rick Scott raised concerns about Qatar's ties to Hamas. Democratic Senators Brian Schatz and Chris Coons introduced a resolution to formally condemn the gift, according to Senate.gov. Rep. Jamie Raskin called it a violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause, saying: "A gift you use for four years and then deposit in your library is still a gift (and a grift)," according to FactCheck.org.
Legal scholars at the Brennan Center for Justice argue that plans to send the jet to Trump's presidential library after his term creates a personal benefit conflict, per Scripps News. The Pentagon's spokesperson, Sean Parnell, pushed back, saying the acceptance followed all federal rules, according to The Guardian.
What Comes Next for the New Presidential Plane
The new jet is already booked for high-profile missions. It is set to lead a flyover of Washington D.C. on July 4 for the nation's 250th anniversary, according to The Guardian. The NATO summit in Ankara on July 7–8 will be its first international trip. Trump also indicated he may fly it to the APEC summit in Shenzhen, China, in November 2026.
The "bridge" jet also relieves pressure on the two old VC-25A planes, which have had reliability issues. One was forced to turn back during a Davos trip due to electrical problems, according to The Guardian. The two permanent replacements from Boeing are still on track — for now — for a 2028 delivery, at a total program cost expected to exceed $5.6 billion, per GAO data reported by News4SanAntonio.
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