Nothing Like It: Trump Unveils New Air Force One, A $400 Million Qatari Gift Wrapped In Patriotic Paint

President Trump rolled out the $400 million Qatari gifted Boeing as his new Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, calling it unbeatable even as critics across the aisle call it an ethics minefield.

President Donald Trump finally showed off his long awaited new ride, unveiling the Qatar gifted Boeing 747 as the latest Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews before heading to Camp David for the Father's Day weekend. The retrofitted plane, painted shiny red, white and blue, carried the presidential seal and the words United States of America along its side, while Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA blasted as Trump descended the staircase.

Trump, never one to undersell anything, called the jet a flying White House at a level of luxury nobody has ever seen , praising its woods, materials and engines as simply nothing like it . He went further, saying the plane represents the country, and that when it lands in London or Germany, nobody tops this one and nobody even comes close. He noted the aircraft already has around 800 hours of flight time, calling it practically brand new, and revealed he personally asked the Emir of Qatar to let him use it. The new jet is virtually double the size of the Boeing VC-25As that have served presidents since 1990.

The old plane got its own farewell first. Trump's return from the G7 summit in Europe earlier this week marked the final journey of the Boeing 747-200B, designated SAM 2900, which had carried every president since George H. W. Bush for nearly 40 years. US Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley called it cosy and historic, while communications director Steven Cheung marked the moment with a simple, well done, good and faithful servant . Trump said the retiring jets would not get the same treatment as the new one and will likely end up in museums.

The scale of the new arrival required real changes on the ground. Trump noted the hangar he spoke in had to be specially built to fit the larger jet, and announced it will lead a massive flyover of Washington on July 4, marking America's 250th birthday. The aircraft, now designated VC-25B , will serve only as a bridge plane until Boeing finishes building two permanent presidential 747s, expected around 2028.

The gift's backstory has been anything but smooth. Qatar's royal family first floated the donation in May 2025, and Trump said at the time he would have been stupid not to accept the offer. Industry officials valued the jet at roughly $400 million, and the aircraft underwent extensive, partly classified modifications to strip it down and secure it before it could carry a sitting president.

None of that has settled the ethics debate. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer mocked the deal as not just bribery but premium foreign influence with extra legroom, while former Republican press secretary Ari Fleischer admitted it may be legal, but I wouldn't do it. The White House has stood firm throughout, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisting the administration remains committed to full transparency on the gift. Officials have pledged the jet will eventually be handed to Trump's future presidential library once his term ends, a promise that does little to quiet critics who note ordinary federal employees cannot legally accept gifts worth more than a few hundred dollars.

For a presidency built on the slogan America First, there is something almost too on the nose about its most symbolic ride now carrying a Gulf monarchy's fingerprints, however immaculate the woodwork.