Authored by Jacob Burg via The Epoch Times,
President Donald Trump on June 19 unveiled the plane that will serve as the new Air Force One, a $400 million Boeing 747-8 luxury jet that was gifted to the United States by the Qatari government in 2025.
Trump stepped down from the plane inside a new hangar at Joint Base Andrews that was specially built for it. The plane is much larger than the previous jets that served as Air Force One, he said.
"The biggest difference is the difference in size, it's like virtually double the size. And actually, on a runway, it looks even more so," Trump said after shaking hands with Air Force officials.
Trump called the new plane "very unique."
"This is considered the world's most luxurious plane. When it was built, it was built at a level that will probably never be seen again," he said.
The aircraft will soon "commence its initial commissioning flights," which will be the jet's "final exam" before it's ready to transport the president, the Air Force said in a press release on Friday.
"The safety and security of the commander in chief is our highest priority," Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said in a statement.
"From the beginning, we meticulously evaluated every requirement to accelerate delivery while maintaining the high standards expected of the presidential mission."
The Air Force said the plane was painted in red, white, and blue and has received its "final government modifications" ahead of its use by the president and his staff.
Despite the jet being a gift from the Qatari government, preparing pilots and crews for the new plane came with a few costs, according to the Air Force.
The Pentagon leased an Atlas Air 747-8 in October 2025 to begin training pilots, before ultimately buying a different 747-8 from Lufthansa as a "full-time training asset for the entire crew complement," the Air Force said.
These efforts were undertaken to "neutralize potential technical hazards on the previously owned aircraft," according to the military.
"Many thought it could not be done, but the United States Air Force was able to execute and provide a secure, reliable airborne command post on an accelerated timeline," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach said in a statement.
The new plane - which will serve as the temporary Air Force One while Boeing completes upgrades on two other jets - will replace a heavily modified Boeing 747-200B, one of three in the current fleet.
Some of the current fleet have been in service for more than 35 years.
Boeing's new fleet has incurred significant delays. Initially slated for a 2024 delivery, the aircraft are now not expected to be flight-ready until 2028.
Jackson Richman contributed to this report.