Overview
- The Air Force publicly presented the modified Boeing 747 at Joint Base Andrews and said it entered service for President Trump after being repainted and fitted with mission equipment.
- The jet will begin stepped certification flights to test secure communications, electronic defenses and other presidential mission systems before full operational use.
- Qatar donated the aircraft and the Pentagon formally accepted it last year, a transfer valued at roughly $400 million that required U.S. engineering work to meet mission requirements.
- Lawmakers, analysts and news outlets have raised ethical and national‑security questions about accepting a high‑value gift from a foreign government that could trigger congressional review.
- The plane is intended as a temporary bridge while Boeing’s two new presidential 747s are delayed until about 2028, and the Air Force said the older VC‑25A 747s will remain available during the transition.