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BumRushDaShow

(171,450 posts)
Sat May 2, 2026, 09:52 AM Yesterday

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 Yesterday OP
It needs a name - I suggest "The Flying Bribe" rurallib Yesterday #1
Snek on a plane. twodogsbarking Yesterday #2
Qatar realizing it was the worst investment ever made IronLionZion Yesterday #3
I call bullshit lonely bird Yesterday #4
According to reports, we will have put in $400 million to prepare it for Dear Leader and he intends Vinca Yesterday #5
Why did we waste all that taxpayer money Americanme Yesterday #6
Pedo-Air One will then do flashy fly overs Submariner Yesterday #7
The 'flying golden turd' pfitz59 Yesterday #8
How much is this "free" plane costing us? Sneederbunk Yesterday #9
Thousands a day for just sitting on the tarmac, millions for retrofitting sakabatou 20 hrs ago #17
A lawsuit should be filed on e Trump is out of office to seize it for violations of the Emoluments Clauses. cstanleytech Yesterday #10
No doubt hundreds of MILLIONS of taxpayer money to keep that POS happy Bengus81 Yesterday #11
Allah Force One RedWhiteBlueIsRacist Yesterday #12
You win! City Lights 19 hrs ago #19
Thanks. My hope is it will piss off trump & the magas! RedWhiteBlueIsRacist 19 hrs ago #20
We need to spread that around! nt City Lights 19 hrs ago #21
White Elephant One nt eppur_se_muova Yesterday #13
Another billion LilElf70 Yesterday #14
Oh..... "yippie". electric_blue68 Yesterday #15
Open bribery and with support from the US Air Force. nt moniss 21 hrs ago #16
I'm hoping it is more easily hackable than AF-1 IzzaNuDay 19 hrs ago #18

IronLionZion

(51,491 posts)
3. Qatar realizing it was the worst investment ever made
Sat May 2, 2026, 10:35 AM
Yesterday

after the damage they got from the Iran conflict

Vinca

(54,235 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
Yesterday

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

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

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

(13,408 posts)
7. Pedo-Air One will then do flashy fly overs
Sat May 2, 2026, 11:07 AM
Yesterday

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

sakabatou

(46,240 posts)
17. Thousands a day for just sitting on the tarmac, millions for retrofitting
Sat May 2, 2026, 04:20 PM
20 hrs ago

and millions more for anything else.

cstanleytech

(28,561 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
Yesterday

Bengus81

(10,309 posts)
11. No doubt hundreds of MILLIONS of taxpayer money to keep that POS happy
Sat May 2, 2026, 11:40 AM
Yesterday

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

LilElf70

(1,615 posts)
14. Another billion
Sat May 2, 2026, 12:40 PM
Yesterday

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

(1,319 posts)
18. I'm hoping it is more easily hackable than AF-1
Sat May 2, 2026, 05:01 PM
19 hrs ago

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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