U.S. President Donald Trump takes his first trip aboard a new Air Force One, a retrofitted Boeing 747-8 that the president accepted as a gift from Qatar. The aircraft, which multiple outlets describe as joining the Air Force One fleet last month, is used as a replacement for the long-serving 747-2 that has carried U.S. presidents for decades. On Wednesday, Trump flies on the new plane to North Dakota, where he visits the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.
Several reports note that the jet faces heightened scrutiny regarding whether a foreign government could be seeking influence, with coverage focusing on the circumstances of the gift and concerns raised by critics. Estimates of the aircraft’s value vary across outlets, with figures cited ranging from about $200 million to around $400 million. Before it is cleared for presidential use, the plane undergoes extensive security and other modifications, according to reports, including upgrades conducted at U.S. taxpayer expense. The new aircraft is expected to remain in service until a future presidential aircraft fleet is delivered, potentially within the next two years.
