President Donald Trump unveiled the refurbished Boeing 747-8 jet donated by Qatar at Joint Base Andrews on June 19, 2026. The plane will serve as the interim Air Force One pending delivery of the new Boeing planes scheduled for 2028 [1, 2, 3].

The aircraft is painted in a red, white, and blue scheme, a design preferred by Trump replacing the traditional light blue and white of prior presidential planes [1, 2, 3]. Trump said, "This is considered the world’s most luxurious plane" and described it as "virtually double the size" of the previous Air Force One, a point he highlighted saying, "The biggest difference is the difference in size" [1, 2, 3]. He also praised its presence at international airports, stating, "Now, when we land at airports in London and in Germany and different places, nobody tops this one, and that’s the way we have to have it for our country" [2].

The gift from Qatar was formally accepted by the US government last year and has undergone extensive retrofitting to convert it into a flying White House with a focus on mission and security features. The retrofit prioritized presidential use and safety requirements, which USAF Secretary Troy Meink stressed as their "highest priority," noting that the evaluation process aimed to accelerate delivery without compromising standards [1, 2, 3].

The plane is in its final commissioning phase before entering full operational use [1, 3]. Trump announced plans to use the jet for upcoming international trips, including the NATO summit in Ankara next month and possibly the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China later this year [2].

The interim Air Force One is also set to participate in a July 4 flyover of Washington, D.C., alongside fighter jets and other military aircraft [2, 3]. This event marks an early public demonstration of the aircraft's capabilities.

The previous Air Force One, tail number 29000, completed its last international mission returning from the Group of Seven summit on the day of the unveiling [1, 2]. The new Boeing Air Force One planes ordered directly from Boeing remain delayed, with delivery expected in 2028, making the Qatari-donated jet a key bridge aircraft until then [1, 2, 3].