Trump unveils new Air Force One, a converted Qatari 747 | Donald Trump

Donald Trump unveiled the new temporary Air Force One in a hangar at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Friday, a day after White House officials bid farewell to one of two Boeing 747s used to transport presidents for more than 30 years.

The new plane, designated VC-25B and sporting a red, white, dark blue and gold livery, was gifted to Trump by the Gulf emirate of Qatar, provoking howls of political protest since the $400 million plane far exceeds the limit for unsolicited gifts worth $50 in a single calendar year, according to the same source.

Trump dismissed criticism of the deal, saying it would be “stupid” to refuse the offer. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said at the time that “the Secretary of Defense accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.”

The cost of converting the Qatari 747 has been estimated at $1 billion, and it is designed to serve as a “bridge” plane until two long-delayed Boeing presidential jets are delivered in 2027 and 2028. The cost of the two purpose-built planes has increased from $3.7 billion to $5 billion.

Criticism of the powerful Qatari jet, which the Gulf state had previously tried to sell unsuccessfully, included accusations that conversion costs could divert money away from Sentinel, an ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) modernization program already years behind schedule.

At the inauguration, Trump thanked the Emir of Qatar. “He’s a fantastic guy,” he said. “He’s been through a lot these last few months.”

“It is considered the most luxurious aircraft in the world.” Trump added. “When it was built, it was built to a level that will probably never be seen again.”

Trump argued that the new plane was needed to keep pace with more modern planes flown by foreign leaders. “These countries have a lot of respect for us, and yet they have a much newer, much better plane. It’s kind of ridiculous,” Trump said.

The two aging 747s in the presidential fleet entered service in 1990, during the presidency of George HW Bush.

Earlier this year, one of the two men was forced to return to Washington during a trip to Davos, Switzerland, due to a technical problem. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters the crew identified a “minor electrical issue” and chose to turn around and return to Andrews Base.

The Air Force has accelerated the modernization of the Qatari aircraft, but skipped some planned modifications for the next-generation presidential jet in order to deliver an interim version sooner. Officials said it met presidential standards.

“The safety and security of the Commander in Chief is our top priority,” Troy Meink, Secretary of the Air Force, said in a statement Friday. “From the beginning, we meticulously evaluated each requirement to expedite delivery while maintaining the high standards expected of the presidential mission. »

The new jet, with a color scheme that echoes that of Trump’s own plane, arrives two weeks before a planned formation flight over Washington DC on July 4 to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday. Trump told the crowd at Andrews that the new plane would perform “the greatest flyby in American history.”

A tour of the interior given to reporters Friday revealed that its decor includes a framed print of a duck swimming in the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool.

The delivery of the Qatari jet comes with the retirement of Air Force One tail number 29000, the Boeing 747-200 that brought the president back from Europe on Thursday and is ultimately destined for a museum.

But its companion aircraft, tail number 28000, with its light blue and white trim, will continue to fly with the new VC-25B aircraft until the new jets are delivered.

Fears that Trump could simply use the Qatari plane for his personal use when he leaves office in 2028 seem unlikely, given that a 747 costs between $180,000 and $200,000 per flying hour, a steep increase from the $12,000 to $16,500 hourly cost of Trump’s Boeing 757.

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