Qatar donated a Boeing 747-8i presidential aircraft modified to serve as Air Force One, unveiled June 19, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland with President Donald Trump attending the event [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11].

The aircraft’s new livery abandons the traditional blue and white colors used since the Kennedy administration for a design featuring red, white, and deep blue with gold accents—a scheme that will become standard for the presidential and executive fleet, including the upcoming Boeing VC-25B planes [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11].

Inside, the plane features wood paneling, gold-toned decorations, beige and golden seats with leather upholstery, and large TV screens. The private suite includes a sofa, and the conference room contains a large table and patriotic artwork. A spacious media area seats 24 journalists, each with individual entertainment screens, making it larger than previous Air Force One planes [2, 3, 5, 6, 10].

President Trump called the plane the most luxurious presidential aircraft ever and dubbed it the "Flying White House," stating, "Our pilots, designers, and engineers have prepared the largest Air Force One ever, flying farther and faster than any before" [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11]. He also called refusal of the gift “stupid” and said he plans to donate the plane to his presidential library eventually [1, 12, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11].

The Qatar-donated plane, valued at several hundred million dollars, is being used temporarily as Air Force One while Boeing’s new VC-25B presidential aircraft are delayed until mid-2028 [1, 2, 3, 12, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11]. U.S. defense contractors, including L3Harris Technologies, modified the aircraft, adding advanced communication systems such as Starlink satellite internet [4, 9, 11].

The Boeing VC-25A, a 747-200 model that served as Air Force One since about 1990, was officially retired on June 18, 2026, after more than 30 years of service [12, 7, 8]. White House officials formally bid farewell to it the day before the unveiling of the new plane [12, 7, 8].

The new aircraft is expected to begin commissioning and test flights soon, with full operational service planned for summer 2026. It is likely to participate in the July 4, 2026, flyover over Washington, D.C., marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. Independence Day [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11].

Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said the Air Force has reviewed requirements to maintain presidential standards while accelerating delivery [2]. Monica Crowley, U.S. Chief of Protocol, noted the retired VC-25A was comfortable and had served every president since George H.W. Bush despite not being the latest model [7].

The new livery and upgraded features will carry over to the future VC-25B planes Boeing is developing, now delayed until mid-2028 [9, 11].