"This could be considered the most luxurious aircraft in the world," President Donald Trump stated on 19/6 at a hangar at Joint Base Andrews, outside Washington, while praising Qatar for "very generously gifting" it.

President Donald Trump speaks in front of the new Air Force One, gifted by Qatar, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on 19/6. Photo: *Reuters*.

"Thanks to the extraordinary contributions of many people present here today, this aircraft has been transformed into a flying White House with a level of luxury never before seen," Trump said at the unveiling.

"When you see it firsthand, you won't believe your eyes, from the quality of the wood and materials to the engines. And I want to thank the Emir of Qatar," the President added.

Continuously praising the aircraft's size and engines, he emphasized, "this plane will fly further and faster than any previous Air Force One."

According to the President, the new aircraft will likely participate in a flyover as part of the celebrations for the 250th US Independence Day on 4/7.

The Boeing 747-8 aircraft, valued at approximately 400 million USD, was gifted by Qatar to the US in 5/2025 for conversion into the new presidential aircraft. Its acquisition had previously raised ethical, constitutional, and security concerns in the US.

However, Trump had previously stated it would be "foolish" to refuse this gift, further fueling public concern by indicating the plane would eventually be donated to his Presidential Library.

The US currently operates two heavily modified Boeing 747s as Air Force One aircraft, serving US presidents for decades. Since his first term, Trump had planned to replace the Air Force One he considered outdated.

Trump speaks at the new presidential aircraft's unveiling ceremony. Photo: *Reuters*.

White House officials announced on 18/6 that an Air Force One had completed its "final journey" after a trip to France for the G7 summit. This further fueled speculation about the imminent unveiling of the new presidential aircraft.

While the old presidential aircraft featured a sky blue and white exterior, the new one has a navy blue belly, a red stripe in the middle, and a white upper fuselage.

The US government had contracted with Boeing for the delivery of two new 747-8 aircraft to serve in the presidential fleet, but the program has faced continuous delays and cost overruns.

Vu Hoang (According to AFP)