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The Conversation
The Conversation
Janet Bednarek, Professor of History, University of Dayton

Trump’s vision for Air Force One will turn it from the ‘Flying White House’ to a ‘palace in the sky’

Former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy helped design Air Force One's color scheme, which has been used since her husband's presidency. Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images

Since President Donald Trump excitedly announced that he would be accepting a US$400 million plane from the Qatari government to serve as the next Air Force One, even members of his own party have expressed alarm.

There’s the price tag of refurbishing the plane with top-secret systems – upward of $1 billion, according to some estimates. Then there are the conflicts of interest from accepting such a large present from a foreign nation – what some say would be the most valuable gift ever given to the U.S.

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