President Donald Trump took his first presidential flight aboard a newly refurbished Boeing 747-8i, gifted by Qatar and now serving as Air Force One, on July 1, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The plane cost $400 million to refurbish and was formerly a luxury transport jet used by the Qatari royal family [1, 3].
Trump flew from Maryland's Joint Base Andrews to Medora, North Dakota, to dedicate the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library [1, 2, 3]. During the trip, he was escorted by ceremonial Rough Riders on horseback and held meetings promoting Roosevelt's legacy on conservation [3].
Trump called the aircraft "the best plane ever built," praising Boeing representatives for its quality. He said, "This will be the first flight of what I think is maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built. I said to Boeing, what's the best one? He said, 'this is the best plane ever built, and you're going to have the privilege of flying it.'" [1, 3]
Designated the VC-25B Bridge, the plane is an interim presidential aircraft until Boeing delivers custom VC-25B models in 2027 or 2028 [2]. The 250-foot-long Boeing 747-8i is larger and more fuel efficient than the outgoing VC-25A that entered service in the 1990s [2]. It features a new red, white and blue paint scheme with a waving American flag on the tail, replacing the previous light blue and white design chosen by Jacqueline Kennedy [2].
The dedication event highlighted Roosevelt's vision on conservation. Trump planned to sign the Great American Outdoors Act Reauthorization during the visit, which renews the $1.9 billion annual investment in conservation projects. Roosevelt famously said, "The nation behaves well if it treats the natural resources as assets which it must turn over to the next generation increased, and not impaired" [3].
The dedication of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora marked a milestone in preserving the 26th president's legacy while introducing the new Air Force One into presidential service [1, 3].
