WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump unveiled his brand new Air Force One on Friday afternoon, a gift that the United States government accepted from the Qatari government in 2025.
“The biggest difference is the difference in size,” Trump shared as he spoke on Friday, flanked by his new jet, ahead of his trip to Camp David. “It’s virtually double the size.”
The Boeing 747-8 plane will serve as the new Air Force One. It is valued at $400 million, according to CBS News. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in 2025 that it was accepted “in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.”
The new plane is painted in red, white, and dark blue with “United States of America” in broad lettering on its side. The previous Air Force One was light blue and white, and the president mentioned repeatedly on Friday how much he loved the American color scheme.
“These are the new colors — red, white, and blue,” he said. “We liked the baby blue, but it was time for a change … I like the color of the American flag.”
Photo courtesy of the United States Air Force.
The president spoke from Joint Base Andrews, a military base close to Washington, D.C. — where Air Force One, Air Force Two, and other presidential and military planes are housed. He received a tour of the plane with some of his staff as members of the White House press pool watched from below, and then gave the press a tour of the plane as well.
The Air Force announced on Friday that the new plane, a “VC-25B Bridge aircraft,” had officially arrived and would soon “commence its initial commissioning flights, marking the successful delivery of a secure, modified executive platform.
“Fresh from receiving its new red, white, and blue livery and the final government modifications, the aircraft has entered service to provide critical, secure continuity for the commander in chief,” the air force said in a release.
The first look at the new Air Force One, gifted to the U.S. from Qatar. pic.twitter.com/DzhQfGPMyP
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) June 19, 2026
In a statement, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink emphasized that “the safety and security of the commander in chief is our highest priority.”
“From the beginning, we meticulously evaluated every requirement to accelerate delivery while maintaining the high standards expected of the presidential mission,” he noted. “This effort proves that the U.S. Air Force can move fast without sacrificing quality, security, or reliability.”
Any aircraft that has the call sign “Air Force One” has to meet “rigorous security requirements” to make sure that the president of the United States is not only safe and protected, but also fully connected, the Air Force said in a release, noting that the president’s new plane “as modified under a disciplined engineering approach that prioritized these exact core capabilities above all else.”
The new Air Force One has the most advanced technology that is necessary to meet the requirements of the president, prioritizing “mission over aesthetics” and leaving most of the interior layout without many changes.
Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images
“We are proud to deliver the VC-25B Bridge aircraft to the President,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach said in a statement on Friday. “Many thought it could not be done, but the United States Air Force was able to execute and provide a secure, reliable airborne command post on an accelerated timeline.”
Trump took his last ride in the old Air Force One earlier this week. His White House Director of Communications, Steven Cheung, posted a photo of the plane when the president returned from the G7 summit in Europe, captioning the photo: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
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