WASHINGTON — President Trump unveiled the new Air Force One Friday — thanking Qatar for donating “the world’s most luxurious plane,” which he said would allow the United States to be “represented properly” as he travels the globe.
“It was built at a level that will probably never be seen again,” Trump told onlookers in a new hangar built at Joint Base Andrews for the larger jet, which Trump said would end the “ridiculous” situation of other world leaders having more imposing planes.
“This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody’s ever seen before,” the president bragged as he stood in front of the jet.
“The workmanship of this plane is — when you see it, you won’t believe it, actually. The quality of woods, the quality of the materials, the quality of the engines. These engines are the finest, they’re the best in the world, nothing like it.
“So it’s really an honor, and I want to thank the Emir of Qatar, he’s a fantastic guy.”
Trump invited the traveling press pool to tour the new plane before heading to Camp David in rural Maryland for the weekend.
The $400 million Boeing 747-8, nicknamed the “palace in the sky,” is about 18 feet longer than the outgoing presidential jumbo jets, with a 30-foot wider wingspan and a wider cabin.
Trump noted the prior pair of Boeing 747s that served as long-haul Air Force Ones — in service since the George H.W. Bush administration — had traveled to 96 countries on 223 foreign trips.
A smaller version of Air Force One is commonly used for transit to small regional airports, such as when Trump visits his New Jersey golf course, and remains in service.
The new jumbo jet was donated by Qatar last year as the gas and oil-rich emirate courted Trump with promises of investments and diplomatic support — also assisting with Gaza peace talks, and more recently mediation with Iran after facing regional diplomatic isolation during Trump’s first term.
Trump had the jet painted in darker red and blue — replacing the iconic baby blue livery dating to the Kennedy administration — with new ripples added to the paint job to resemble a fluttering flag.
He accepted the jet over the protest of critics, including some Republican allies in Congress and conservative media figures, who expressed concern about national security and becoming indebted to a foreign state.
Security experts also raised issues with converting the Qatari aircraft into presidential transport, stating it would “require major modifications and inspections.”
But Trump repeatedly defended accepting the aircraft for his use, arguing that turning down the gift would have been “stupid.”. He had bitterly complained about the condition of the decades-old aircraft and about Boeing’s pace of filling orders for newer Air Force Ones that ultimately will replace the Qatari jet, which Trump then plans to install in his presidential library.
The president has immediate plans to show off his new set of wings, noting he will take it to Turkey for the annual NATO summit next month and to China for the annual APEC conference in November.
Trump said that the jet would “lead the brigade” of flyovers above the White House celebrating the Fourth of July and revealed it’s equipped with multiple new features including Starlink internet service from Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
He also plans to use it for an upcoming trip to Mount Rushmore as part of celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary, NBC News reported.
