President Donald Trump officially unveiled the new Air Force One on Friday at a hangar at Joint Base Andrews. The aircraft, a Boeing 747-8, is a formerly Qatari-owned jumbo jet that has been converted into the official U.S. presidential aircraft. The president described the jet as being virtually double the size of the previous model, stating that it is considered the world's most luxurious plane.
The luxury Boeing 747, which arrived ahead of schedule and was initially valued at 400 million dollars, was offered by the Qatari government shortly after the president's second term began. The aircraft has caused controversy as one of the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the U.S. government. It features a new paint scheme preferred by the president.
The gift from Qatar is serving as a so-called bridge aircraft to carry the president until new planes ordered directly from Boeing arrive. President Trump declared that the jet will be used during a ceremonial flyover in Washington on July 4 to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States.