Trump Takes First Flight on Qatari-Gifted Air Force One
US President Donald Trump flew for the first time on Wednesday aboard a new Air Force One, a refurbished Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, according to multiple reports. The flight carried him from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to North Dakota, where he dedicated the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.
The aircraft, reported to be worth about $400 million, officially joined the Air Force One fleet last month. It underwent extensive modifications at US taxpayers' expense, including security upgrades, before being cleared for use.
Trump told reporters traveling with him that he was "excited about the first flight," calling it something "nobody's ever seen anything like it." He praised the plane as "the best plane ever built," according to Al Jazeera. He also said the United States "couldn't build a plane like this" because "we wouldn't be willing to spend the kind of money necessary."
Trump accepted the jet in May 2025, a decision that drew criticism. Critics have raised ethical, constitutional, and security concerns about the gifting of an aircraft worth hundreds of millions of dollars by a foreign power. Qatar has also been a mediator in talks between the US and Iran.
Regarding the cost to US taxpayers for adapting the Qatari jet, Trump said it was "very little relative to what it would cost if we did it a different way." He added that the modifications were "very complex stuff, but it's really quite something."
The trip to North Dakota was part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of American independence. Trump spoke at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, praising Roosevelt's legacy and drawing contrasts with political opponents. He also criticized Democrats, including "democratic socialists" who have won recent primary elections.
The first flight came a day after Trump faced ethical scrutiny over filings showing he earned around $1.2 billion from his family's cryptocurrency ventures in his first year back in power, according to reports. Trump dismissed any suggestion of impropriety.
Members of Trump's entourage, including White House communications director Steven Cheung and press secretary Karoline Leavitt, posted photos and videos of the maiden voyage on social media. The images showed an ornate office, a conference table, and shelves lined with leather-bound books. Leavitt described the day as "truly unforgettable" and shared brunch photos featuring gold-rimmed crockery and a menu of ham and Swiss cheese croissants and seasonal fruit.
The Boeing 747 jetliner, known as the "flying palace," was accepted by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth after Trump visited Qatar in May 2025. Qatari officials initially denied the jet was being gifted, calling it a "possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One," but later confirmed the gift.
The plane has since undergone major modifications and testing before being cleared for presidential use.
While Trump has hailed the aircraft and its capabilities, the gift has remained a point of contention among critics who question the propriety of a foreign government providing such a valuable asset to a US president.