WASHINGTON: United States (US) President Donald Trump on Friday unveiled a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar that is set to become a future presidential aircraft, despite criticism over the acceptance of the luxury jet, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
“The other plane was about 35 years old, and it was time,” Trump said during a presentation in front of the jumbo jet.
Visibly enthusiastic, Trump said the new aircraft was “virtually double the size” as its predecessor and appeared even larger when seen on a runway.
He described it as the “largest Air Force One ever built”.
“It flies further and faster than any Air Force One,” Trump said.
In May 2025, Trump accepted the aircraft as a gift from Qatar. Opponents accused him of accepting a bribe from a foreign government.
The aircraft is currently housed in a hangar at Joint Base Andrews near Washington and will undergo test flights before being formally added to the Air Force One fleet.
The converted Qatari jet has been repainted in red, white and dark blue – a departure from the powder blue and white colour scheme that has been used for decades.
The plane has undergone what the Air Force described as final regulatory modifications. Trump toured the aircraft before delivering his remarks to the media at the air base.
Trump has previously said he wanted the aircraft to enter service in time for the 250th anniversary of the US on July 4, Independence Day.
On Friday, he said he hoped to use the jet for a trip to Turkiye, where he is expected to attend a NATO summit in Ankara in early July.
He also said he planned to use the Boeing 747 for a flight to a meeting in China, without providing further details.
According to earlier reports, the Boeing 747 is valued at around USD400 million (RM1.61 billion).
The unusual gift from a foreign partner has raised legal and ethical questions in the US.
Democrats described the arrangement as “blatant corruption” and threatened protest actions in Congress.
Trump has defended accepting the aircraft, arguing that rejecting a “free, very expensive airplane” would be foolish because it saves US taxpayers money.
Qatari officials have also dismissed the criticism.
Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told CNN that the transfer was simply a normal government-to-government transaction. – BERNAMA-dpa
