Washington — On July 1, 2026, President Trump traveled to North Dakota on his first trip aboard the new Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8 luxury plane gifted to the United States by the Qatari government last year. The $400 million aircraft replaces the military-grade 747-2 model that had served U.S. presidents for over 30 years.
Speaking at Joint Base Andrews before departure, Trump described the plane as "maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built," highlighting the complex security features and presidential modifications recently completed. He expressed excitement about the flight, stating, "Nobody's ever seen anything like it."
Trump also noted that the old plane, being over three decades old, "really didn't look appropriate for our country" when compared to the new aircraft. He emphasized that upgrading the plane cost taxpayers "very little relative to what it would cost if we did it a different way," calling it "a gift from a country that's treated us very well."
The Air Force prioritized operational readiness over aesthetic changes in the plane's upgrades, maintaining a largely unchanged interior layout. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung shared photos on X showing large conference tables, leather seats, and glossy wood paneling. A pool reporter onboard noted the spacious press cabin includes lie-flat seats with massage functions and individual TV screens.
President Trump's itinerary in North Dakota includes a train ride and welcome ceremony commemorating America's 250th anniversary, followed by a visit to the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library. The Qatari-gifted Air Force One is expected to remain in service until a new fleet of Boeing planes is delivered to the Air Force in 2028.
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