President Donald Trump boards Air Drive One at Ocala Worldwide Airport, in Ocala Fla., Friday, Might 1, 2026, after talking at an occasion in The Villages, Fla.
Matt Rourke/AP
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Matt Rourke/AP
The U.S. Air Drive has completed modifying and testing a Boeing 747 jet donated by Qatar for momentary use as Air Drive One and expects to have it prepared for President Donald Trump to make use of this summer time, the service introduced late Friday.
The jet is presently being painted crimson, white and blue, the Air Drive mentioned in a information launch.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted the luxurious jet a 12 months in the past regardless of questions concerning the ethics and legality of accepting an costly reward from a overseas nation, in addition to considerations about safety and cyber intelligence. Trump has defended the reward as a technique to save tax {dollars}.
Trump has mentioned he would not fly round within the plane when his time period ends. As a substitute, he mentioned, the airplane could be donated to a future presidential library, much like how the Boeing 707 utilized by President Ronald Reagan was decommissioned and placed on show as a museum piece.
Air Drive officers mentioned the previous Qatari jet will function a “bridge” till Boeing is able to ship a pair of recent plane, which is now anticipated in 2028.
The 2 planes presently used as Air Drive One have been flying for practically 4 many years, and Trump is raring to interchange them. Throughout his first time period, he displayed a mannequin of a brand new jumbo jet within the Oval Workplace, full with a revised paint scheme that echoed the crimson, white and darkish blue design of his private airplane.
Boeing has been retrofitting 747s initially constructed for a now-defunct Russian airliner. However this system has confronted practically a decade of delays from a sequence of points, together with a vital subcontractor’s chapter and the problem of discovering and retaining certified workers who could possibly be awarded high-level safety clearances.
The brand new planes aren’t as a result of be completed till close to the tip of Trump’s time period, and he is out of endurance. He has described the state of affairs as “a complete mess,” and he has complained that Air Drive One is not as good because the planes flown by some Arab leaders.
The $400 million Qatari airplane has been described as a “palace within the sky,” full with luxurious lodging and top-of-the-line finishes.
However safety is the first concern in the case of presidential journey. The present Air Drive One planes have been constructed from scratch close to the tip of the Chilly Struggle. They’re hardened in opposition to the results of a nuclear blast and embody a variety of safety features, reminiscent of anti-missile countermeasures and an onboard working room. They’re additionally geared up with air-to-air refueling capabilities for contingencies, although they’ve by no means been used with a president on board.
It isn’t clear which capabilities have been added to the previous Qatari jet. The Air Drive didn’t reveal the price of the modifications, however lawmakers steered final 12 months that they may prime $1 billion.
Air Drive officers mentioned they leased a 747-8 freighter from Atlas Air between October and February so pilots may get aware of the newest variant. The U.S. has additionally bought two jets from the German provider Lufthansa for coaching and spare components. Boeing stopped constructing 747s in 2023.
