Trump flies on new Air Force One gifted from Qatar

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump is making his first trip on a newly retrofitted Air Force One, a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar valued at $400 million, featuring a navy belly and red and gold stripes reflecting his personal style.
• The refurbished plane includes luxury amenities such as plush carpets, lie-flat seats, wood paneling, and presidential seal-embossed seat belts, emphasizing a more opulent travel experience for the president and his entourage.
• Trump expressed pride in the plane's luxurious design, contrasting it with the previous light blue hull, and noted the gift comes from a country that has treated the U.S. well, despite ethical concerns raised about the Middle Eastern gift.
• The jet's first official mission is transporting Trump to North Dakota to visit the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library ahead of its opening, marking its initial use in presidential service.
• The Qatar plane will serve temporarily until Boeing delivers newly designed Air Force One aircraft in 2028, with Trump previously suggesting the current jet might ultimately be displayed in a presidential library.