Trump unveils new Air Force One, a $400 million plane gifted by Qatar

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CBS News

Updated on: June 19, 2026 / 4:45 PM EDT / CBS News


Washington — President Trump on Friday unveiled the Boeing 747-8 that will serve as the new Air Force One, providing the first look at the $400 million luxury plane that the U.S. accepted as a gift from the Qatari government last year.

Mr. Trump descended the stairs from the hulking jet inside a hangar at Joint Base Andrews, the military post outside Washington that has served as the presidential airport for decades. He greeted Air Force officials and delivered remarks to a crowd of service members. "There will never be one like this. This is very unique. This is considered the world's most luxurious plane," the president said. "When it was built, it was built at a level that will probably never be seen again."


President Trump speaks after touring the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Friday, June 19, 2026.
AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta

Mr. Trump said the hangar in which he was speaking had to be specially constructed to house the new jet, which is much larger than the previous plane. He added later that the new version will lead a massive flyover of Washington on July 4, the nation's 250th birthday.

The Air Force said in a release that the aircraft will soon begin embarking on "commissioning flights," its "final exam" before it can be used to transport the president.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/air-force-one-new-plane-trump-qatar/

[Lovie777]

1. Which US taxpayers' paid for................................

[sop]

4. Trump calls it "Free Air Force One" because he gets to keep it.

[Lonestarblue]

23. If Democrats win the presidency and Congress in 2028, I hope the invoke the emoluments clause for this.

That plane belongs to US taxpayers after all the work we paid for, and Trump should not be allowed to keep it. It was obviously a bribe.

[marble falls]

2. I hope it flies right up his big fat butt.

[Resistance1]

18. I prefer in the ground...

At full throttle and no flaps

[marble falls]

21. I would not want him to die before he's been in jail. I want to see Congressional Committees look into this "gift".

[msongs]

3. thanks to Boeing and it's delays

[IzzaNuDay]

22. Don't put the blame on Boeing-- TOFU

At the time the replacement AF1 contract was up for negotiation, Boeing had the capacity to build the AF1 from scratch on its existing 747 assembly line. But Trump browbeat Boeing into buying two new, yet mothballed 747’s — built to be certified for commercial use. So Boeing has to now factor the price of stripping out the entire 747 interior, then rebuild to USAF certification. The two are not the same. On a firm fixed price contract.

If there are people to blame is Trump, and the Boeing management that capitulated to Trump’s demands. Boeing employees working this project got a raw deal.

[Tim S]

5. It's not a secure plane. Normal AF-1s are built for security *first*.

There’s no ability to spy on the occupants in a traditional aAF-1. And in case of war, no way to track it. They also have classified defensive systems in them to ensure it’s a rolling fortress in case of nuclear war. They are purpose-built and take years to make.

Trump’s gift is an off-the-rack plane which I assume was retro-fitted to be *like* an Air Force 1 in too short a time period. I think it’s vulnerable. I hope this is the plane Trump purloins when he’s out of office, because I don’t want my next Democratic President relying on it.

[Auggie]

6. The letter-spacing is terrible

[PJMcK]

14. Agreed

Yet that’s the least of the aircraft’s issues.

[Sneederbunk]

7. Waste, fraud, abuse.

[Cheezoholic]

8. It's a 747-800 passenger version with a lavish interior. Thats all it is. Its not bigger than any other 747-8

It is about 20 ft longer and the wingspan is about 25ft wider than the existing "AF1" which is a SPEACIALLY BUILT 747-200 for the Air Force which other posters have pointed out. The current "AF1" is a variant called a VC25. There are only 2 of these in the world. Everything this asshole says is BS. It aint bigger than any other 747-800 that usually has ATLAS or Kalita Air or UPS on the side because it takes a cargo aircraft with gold lining to carry him and his load of BS. The new VC25 AF1's (747-800's) are currently being specially built for the Air Force and will be completed by 2027-2029. Once again theses are military versions of the 747-800 and will be the only ones in the world. They will carry the VC25 version designation. They are truly flying fortresses that can fly for months if needed. This one he has can't. As a matter of fact the Air Force version designation of this waste of our money FOR HIM is a made up VC25B, standing for "Bridge" meaning its just a 747-800. Its no different than me slapping chrome wheels and new paint on my 92 Ford F150 pick up and saying its now an F150"B" until I can afford a new one (which is never, wouldn't want a new one anyway ).

Also Qatar is dumping this on him because they don't want it anymore. Some sources over a year ago said Qatar was about to sell it off to the highest bidder.

He's a failed real estate used car snaked tonged self absorbed fucking terrorist to this country and the entire world. I wouldn't get on that POS in that hangar EVER!

[Submariner]

9. I noticed the billion conversion cost for the free 400 million $ bribe jet

that the taxpayer has to pay for wasn't mentioned in the story. Must have been an accidental oversight.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. The very last paragraph at the OP link has this -

Retrofitting the aircraft for the presidential fleet was also expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The secretary of the Air Force told a House panel last year that the price tag for retrofitting would be "probably less than $400 million."

But we know they always lowball.

[patphil]

11. If a Democrat wins the Presidency in 2028, Trump needs to be presented with a bill for all the work done on his plane.

Also, all the work that will have to be done to take any sensitive equipment out of it, and also the cost of storing, and maintaining his aircraft for all the years it was on a US base.
If he wants to call it his, then he's going to have to pay for it. If not, it's still Air Force 1, and Trump has no claim over it.

[ColoringFool]

12. Be A Shame If It Didn't Get The Kinks Out Yet.

[sheshe2]

13. This is the POS going down those stairs!

— Linda P (@peapro1.bsky.social) 2026-06-19T23:16:49.242Z

**************CLICK ON THE PIC TO WATCH!!!************

[Martin68]

15. The timing his briliant! Not the best look following the Iran war fiasco.

[Politicub]

16. The symbolism of this makes me sick to my stomach

Every bit of it.

[Figarosmom]

17. He sure is spending a lot of our money on

Himself. I sure hope this plane isn't a Trojan horse and he doesn't become the fire works on the 4th of July. With the caliber of his crew ( FBI, CIA, SS. etc.)I'm sure that plane wasn't searched very well.

[Resistance1]

19. This should never had been accepted.

The U.S. Constitution prohibits federal officials from accepting foreign gifts without congressional consent. Period. But Obama wore a tan suit

[Historic NY]

20. Does it have a Ball Room?