President Donald Trump on Wednesday took his maiden voyage on a new Air Force One — a retrofitted Boeing 747 worth $400 million gifted by Qatar that embeds his personality more deeply into the institution of the American presidency.
Gone is the trademark light blue hull that helped Air Force One blend into the sky. The refurbished jet is painted to Trump’s preferred color scheme of a navy blue belly and red and gold stripes. It has the luxury features that the president believes a commander-in-chief’s entourage should have — plush carpets, lie-flat seats, wood paneling and a presidential seal on the seat belts, according to reported tours of the plane.
Trump told reporters that he was proud of the luxurious plane.
“You can do two things: You can low-key it, or you can show it,” he said.
Reporters are generally not permitted to take photos on the plane unless Trump is present. But on Wednesday, Trump administration staffers posted images of the plane’s interior on social media.
THE NEW AIR FORCE ONE UNLOCKED. 🇺🇸✈️ pic.twitter.com/5BVOH84Y9h
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 20, 2026
“This is a gift from a country that has treated us very well,” Trump said.
The new jet will only temporarily be in the nation’s service, as Boeing is expected to deliver in 2028 long-delayed planes that will permanently serve as Air Force One. Trump, a Republican, has said in the past that the Qatar plane would end up in his presidential library.
The Air Force has said that it did little to change the cabin layout of the plane and that it spent less than $400 million on security upgrades.
PRESIDENTE TRUMP EMBARCA PARA VIAGEM INAUGURAL NO MAIOR AF1 DE TODOS OS TEMPOS! O Presidente Trump acaba de EMBARCAR no NOVO Air Force One (Força Aérea Um), a caminho da Dakota do Norte para a Biblioteca Teddy Roosevelt e um evento do Freedom 250. Este é o PRIMEIRO voo… pic.twitter.com/MMVmmg2vCs
— Xavier com ❌ (@Gilbertoavier) July 1, 2026
The Associated Press contributed to this article