So, here’s the scoop: On July 1st, President Trump hopped onto his brand-new “Air Force One” for the very first time – and guess what? It was a gift from Qatar. He couldn’t stop gushing about it, even admitting, “America just can’t build a plane like this.”
He was flying to North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Before boarding, he chatted with reporters and said, “I asked Boeing, ‘Which one’s the best?’ They told me, ‘This is the greatest plane ever built. You’re gonna love it, and I’m gonna love it too.'”
Trump was pretty blunt: “Honestly, we can’t make a plane like this here because we’re not willing to spend that kind of money. They paid a fortune.”
When someone asked if U.S. taxpayers were footing the bill for the modifications, he shot back, “Compared to what we’d spend doing it any other way, this is dirt cheap.”
President Trump boarding the Qatari-gifted 747 on July 1st, his first ride in the new Air Force One.
For context, the old Air Force One planes were two Boeing 747s from the early ’90s – over 30 years old. Trump had been griping about them being way too outdated for ages.
Back in his first term, the government signed a deal with Boeing to build new ones. But thanks to tech issues, supplier problems, and staffing headaches, Boeing still hasn’t delivered. The first new plane isn’t expected until 2028 – right when his second term would be winding down.
Last year, Qatar donated this Boeing 747-8 luxury jet as a “gift” to the Trump administration. Trump immediately planned to turn it into Air Force One. According to reports, the U.S. Air Force has been working on it in Texas since last September, upgrading it for security and communications – at a cost of around $400 million.
Insiders told ABC that this Qatari jet will serve as the new Air Force One for the rest of Trump’s second term. After he leaves office, ownership will transfer to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation.
But here’s the kicker: Using a foreign gift as the presidential plane has stirred up a lot of criticism back home. Many are accusing Trump of “taking bribes from a foreign government,” while even some of his allies are worried about whether the plane is truly safe.
