Trump Reveals Qatar-gifted Air Force One, Calls it Unconventional

WHO:

Fortune - President Donald Trump showcased the new Air Force One.

France 24 - President Donald Trump was present at the unveiling of the new Air Force One.

WHAT:

Fortune - The new Air Force One is a converted luxury Boeing 747 jet previously owned by Qatar.

Fortune - Trump stated, “This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody has ever seen before.”

France 24 - The new Air Force One will perform a flyover during the July 4 celebrations.

Fortune - The Qatari jet is serving as a “bridge” aircraft until new planes ordered from Boeing arrive, which are currently slated for 2028.

France 24 - Security modifications to the jet are estimated to cost less than $400 million.

WHERE:

Fortune - The unveiling took place at Joint Base Andrews.

Fortune - The NATO summit will be held in Ankara, Turkey.

WHEN:

Fortune - Trump confirmed he would take the new jet to the NATO summit next month.

Fortune - The new planes ordered from Boeing are expected to arrive in 2028.

Fortune - The old Air Force One was used for the last time during the return from the Group of 7 summit in France this week.

WHY:

Fortune - Trump mentioned the need for the U.S. to be represented properly, stating, “A normal president wouldn’t do this. A normal president wants to stay away from aircraft.”

France 24 - The administration accepted the Qatari jet despite ethical and legal questions regarding the acceptance of such an expensive gift from a foreign government.

HOW:

Fortune - The Qatari plane was modified under a disciplined engineering approach to meet rigorous security requirements.

France 24 - The Air Force stated that much of the previous head of state interior layout of the plane was kept intact.

(UPDATED June 20, 2026 23:22 UTC)

President Trump unveiled the new Air Force One, a converted luxury Boeing 747 jet previously owned by Qatar, at Joint Base Andrews. He emphasized the plane's transformation into a flying White House, boasting a level of luxury never seen before, and confirmed it will perform a flyover during the July 4 celebrations. The Qatari jet will serve as a temporary aircraft until new planes ordered from Boeing arrive in 2028, with security modifications estimated to cost less than $400 million.