Trump unveils refurbished Qatari Boeing 747 ahead of joining Air Force One fleet

President Donald Trump unveiled a refurbished Boeing 747-8i gifted by Qatar, upgraded by L3Harris Technologies, and repainted in a red, white, dark blue and gold livery. He said the aircraft will join the Air Force One fleet as a temporary 'bridge' aircraft until Boeing’s longer-delayed VC-25B jets arrive. The refurbishment, unveiled at Joint Base Andrews, includes a larger airframe perceived as more luxurious than past presidential jets. Trump contrasted the new colours with the Kennedy-era robin’s egg blue and said the aircraft would undergo commissioning flights to meet security requirements. Officials stressed delivery would relieve stress on the aging VC-25A fleet.