The Boeing 747-8 jetliner gifted to the Donald Trump administration by the Qatari royal family is set to be delivered to Trump by this summer.
Confirming the anticipated use of the aircraft as the new Air Force One jet, an air force spokesperson told the Guardian: “The Air Force remains committed to expediting delivery of the VC-25 bridge aircraft in support of the Presidential airlift mission, with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026.”
The air force added that it has accepted the Qatari gift which will be used for executive airlift.
Described as a “flying palace”, the estimated $400m gift to Trump last year drew widespread bipartisan backlash, with lawmakers voicing ethical concerns over Qatar’s motives and questioning the 13-year-old plane’s security measures.
The announcement of the gift last May came as Trump embarked on his first foreign trip since retaking office last January, choosing to visit Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia – all US allies with large sovereign wealth funds.
Despite the criticisms, Trump defended the gift at the time, calling it a “very nice gesture” and saying: “Now I could be a stupid person and say: ‘Oh no, we don’t want a free plane.’
“I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer,” he added.
Last August, Trump asserted that the aircraft would be ready by February, a claim met with skepticism from defense and aviation experts due to the extensive modifications required.
The revised delivery timeline for the aircraft – currently being refitted to meet presidential security standards including missile defense systems, secure communications and protection against electromagnetic pulses from nuclear explosions – is widely expected to align with the US’s 250th birthday on 4 July.
Earlier this week, Trump’s current Air Force One – which was en route to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland – was forced to turn back to Washington DC shortly after takeoff following what officials called a “minor electrical issue”.
The decision to turn the plane around was made “out of an abundance of caution”, according to the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt. After the return, Trump boarded Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 usually used for domestic trips.
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