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BumRushDaShow

(172,475 posts)
Sat May 2, 2026, 09:52 AM May 2

Air Force says former Qatari 747 will be ready to fly as Air Force One this summer

Source: NPR/AP

May 2, 2026 1:49 AM ET


The U.S. Air Force has finished modifying and testing a Boeing 747 jet donated by Qatar for temporary use as Air Force One and expects to have it ready for President Donald Trump to use this summer, the service announced late Friday. The jet is currently being painted red, white and blue, the Air Force said in a news release.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted the luxury jet a year ago despite questions about the ethics and legality of accepting an expensive gift from a foreign nation, as well as concerns about security and cyber intelligence. Trump has defended the gift as a way to save tax dollars.

Trump has said he wouldn't fly around in the aircraft when his term ends. Instead, he said, the plane would be donated to a future presidential library, similar to how the Boeing 707 used by President Ronald Reagan was decommissioned and put on display as a museum piece.

Air Force officials said the former Qatari jet will serve as a "bridge" until Boeing is ready to deliver a pair of new aircraft, which is now expected in 2028.

Read more: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/02/g-s1-119866/trump-new-air-force-one



REFERENCES

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143451460
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143457165
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143457596
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143457656
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143457694
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143457740
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143457921
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143458014
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143458220
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143459314
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143461308
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143463142
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143473164
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143502542
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143503209
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143505232
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143509906
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143603062
21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Air Force says former Qatari 747 will be ready to fly as Air Force One this summer (Original Post) BumRushDaShow May 2 OP
It needs a name - I suggest "The Flying Bribe" rurallib May 2 #1
Snek on a plane. twodogsbarking May 2 #2
Qatar realizing it was the worst investment ever made IronLionZion May 2 #3
I call bullshit lonely bird May 2 #4
According to reports, we will have put in $400 million to prepare it for Dear Leader and he intends Vinca May 2 #5
Why did we waste all that taxpayer money Americanme May 2 #6
Pedo-Air One will then do flashy fly overs Submariner May 2 #7
The 'flying golden turd' pfitz59 May 2 #8
How much is this "free" plane costing us? Sneederbunk May 2 #9
Thousands a day for just sitting on the tarmac, millions for retrofitting sakabatou May 2 #17
A lawsuit should be filed on e Trump is out of office to seize it for violations of the Emoluments Clauses. cstanleytech May 2 #10
No doubt hundreds of MILLIONS of taxpayer money to keep that POS happy Bengus81 May 2 #11
Allah Force One RedWhiteBlueIsRacist May 2 #12
You win! City Lights May 2 #19
Thanks. My hope is it will piss off trump & the magas! RedWhiteBlueIsRacist May 2 #20
We need to spread that around! nt City Lights May 2 #21
White Elephant One nt eppur_se_muova May 2 #13
Another billion LilElf70 May 2 #14
Oh..... "yippie". electric_blue68 May 2 #15
Open bribery and with support from the US Air Force. nt moniss May 2 #16
I'm hoping it is more easily hackable than AF-1 IzzaNuDay May 2 #18

IronLionZion

(51,568 posts)
3. Qatar realizing it was the worst investment ever made
Sat May 2, 2026, 10:35 AM
May 2

after the damage they got from the Iran conflict

Vinca

(54,354 posts)
5. According to reports, we will have put in $400 million to prepare it for Dear Leader and he intends
Sat May 2, 2026, 10:56 AM
May 2

to keep the interior which is, of course, gold, gold and more gold. Then, of course, if he ever leaves he'll take it with him. I don't know how that's legal, but legal has never been a big problem for him.

Americanme

(551 posts)
6. Why did we waste all that taxpayer money
Sat May 2, 2026, 11:00 AM
May 2

modifying, testing, and painting a 747 that will no longer belong to our government in a few years? And what will the next president use for Air Force One?

Submariner

(13,439 posts)
7. Pedo-Air One will then do flashy fly overs
Sat May 2, 2026, 11:07 AM
May 2

to Mar A Epsteinville further inviting Iranian terror attacks on the country.

sakabatou

(46,387 posts)
17. Thousands a day for just sitting on the tarmac, millions for retrofitting
Sat May 2, 2026, 04:20 PM
May 2

and millions more for anything else.

cstanleytech

(28,607 posts)
10. A lawsuit should be filed on e Trump is out of office to seize it for violations of the Emoluments Clauses.
Sat May 2, 2026, 11:37 AM
May 2

Bengus81

(10,391 posts)
11. No doubt hundreds of MILLIONS of taxpayer money to keep that POS happy
Sat May 2, 2026, 11:40 AM
May 2

to do the retrofit. This is outrageous shit..........

LilElf70

(1,646 posts)
14. Another billion
Sat May 2, 2026, 12:40 PM
May 2

of unauthorized tax payer dollars just went down the toilet. I don't recall anyone being consulted on this transaction.

It's not like we really don't need the money. Just think of how many more people could have been fed and healthcare given to citizens? Totally irresponsible. Yep, it's all about him. AGAIN!!!!

IzzaNuDay

(1,349 posts)
18. I'm hoping it is more easily hackable than AF-1
Sat May 2, 2026, 05:01 PM
May 2

there is NFW that plane can be hastily modified to the AF-1 standards.

It’s his own damn fault that he told Boeing to modify two mothballed 747’s (albeit new for commercial use) for the replacement AF1’s. On a fixed price contract: pay for stripping out the commercial interior and structure then build to AF-1.

At the time Boeing had room on their assembly line to make 747’s. Not to mention every time the requirements change, that’s additional cost.

And I’m gonna guess the livery gonna have that dark blue paint. Duh, airplanes use lighter colors that do not absorb heat.

Why do I smell a clusterF?

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