The U.S. Air Force has finished modification work and testing on a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar and says the jet will be available for presidential use this summer. The aircraft is being repainted in patriotic red, white and blue livery for its temporary role.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted the luxury jet about a year ago amid questions over the ethics and legality of accepting an expensive foreign gift, and concerns about security and cyber vulnerabilities. President Donald Trump defended taking the plane as a taxpayer-saving measure and has said he plans to donate it to a future presidential library after his term, likening that fate to Ronald Reagan’s retired Boeing 707.
Air Force leaders describe the former Qatari 747 as a “bridge” solution until Boeing can deliver two new presidential aircraft, now expected around 2028. The current Air Force One planes have served for almost four decades, and Trump has long pushed to replace them — at one point unveiling a model of a new jumbo jet in the Oval Office painted in colors similar to his private plane.
The long-planned replacement program has suffered nearly a decade of delays, driven by issues such as a key subcontractor’s bankruptcy and difficulty recruiting personnel with the high-level security clearances required for the work. Those setbacks have pushed expected delivery of the new planes toward the end of Trump’s term, prompting public frustration from the president.
The Qatari donation, reported to be worth roughly $400 million, has been described in media reports as a “palace in the sky” because of its luxury fittings. But presidential transport also demands extensive defensive and communications systems. The current Cold War–era presidential 747s are hardened against nuclear effects and outfitted with anti-missile countermeasures, a medical operating room and the ability to refuel in flight, among other specialized capabilities. The Air Force has not disclosed which of those features were incorporated into the former Qatari jet, nor the full cost of the U.S. modifications; lawmakers estimated last year that conversion costs could top $1 billion.
To prepare flight crews, the Air Force leased a 747-8 freighter from Atlas Air from October through February to give pilots hands-on experience with that variant. The government also bought two 747s from Lufthansa for training and spare parts. Boeing ceased 747 production in 2023, marking the end of the model’s factory output as these conversions and training efforts proceed.