Trump Qatar Plane – Air Force Three

Trump / Qatar Airplane – Air Force Three

Top Line:

President Trump has launched a project to rebuild a 747-8i aircraft gifted from Qatar to serve as Air Force One until the two Air Force One planes (VC-25B ) currently under construction are completed in 2027 or 2028.

Upon his leaving office, this plane will be transferred to his proposed private Presidential Library. According to reliable sources, the cost for this third Air Force One plane could easily exceed $1 billion. The Pentagon has recently canceled a missile project to fund $934 million of these costs.

Background:

The original program

The Air Force One fleet currently consists of two Boeing 747-200B aircraft (VC-25A), operational since 1990

The Air Force One replacement project aims to build two highly customized Boeing 747-8 aircraft, designated VC-25B.. The aircraft are expected to include advanced communications systems, defensive countermeasures, aerial refueling capability, and secure living and office space for the President and senior staff.

When the work began in 2017. The cost of the Air Force One replacement program was projected to exceed $5.3 billion. In 2018, President Trump announced a renegotiated deal with Boeing that capped costs at $3.9 billion. The two VC-25B aircraft were originally scheduled for delivery in 2024. However, numerous delays have pushed the estimated delivery dates to 2027 or 2028.

It has been reported that Boeing is losing over $2.5 billion on the program as of 2025. These losses stem from inflation, supply chain disruptions, and unforeseen technical challenges.

Critics argue that while the government may benefit from capped expenses, the company is forced to absorb overruns, leading to internal cost-cutting measures that could impact quality, features, or delay delivery.

The Qatar Gift

The Defense Department has accepted a Boeing 747-8i aircraft from the Qatari government as a gift. The aircraft is outfitted in a VIP configuration and bears similarities to the new VC-25B design.

It has been reported that President Trump wants to rush this plane program so it can be completed before he leaves office. At that point, it will be transferred to President Trump’s presidential library with all the modification costs to be borne by the US taxpayers.

Estimates suggest that retrofitting this 13-year-old luxury jet could cost considerably more than $1 billion. These costs include dismantling the aircraft to check for surveillance devices, installing secure systems, and adding presidential amenities, such as medical facilities and Secret Service quarters. Initial funding for this renovation has reportedly been tucked into a $934 million transfer from the Pentagon’s nuclear modernization program, specifically the Sentinel missile project.

The proposal to accept a Boeing 747-8 from Qatar as a temporary Air Force One has sparked significant controversy, raising ethical, legal, and security concerns. The plane, valued at approximately $400 million when new (though depreciated to around $250 million), is one of the most valuable gifts ever offered to the U.S. government by a foreign entity.

Critics argue that accepting it violates the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which requires congressional approval for foreign gifts to U.S. officials. Although the plane is technically a gift to the DoD, its planned transfer to Trump’s presidential library foundation after his term has led to accusations that it constitutes a personal benefit, potentially breaching anti-bribery laws.

The timetable and cost are also subject to question. This conversion is proposed to be completed before the end of Trump’s presidency in 2028. Just under $1 billion has been allocated. It has not been determined if the Air Force One planes currently under construction will be cannibalized to accelerate this new program.

The current program (VC-25B) to build two Air Force Ones from a similar airframe as the Qatrar is projected to cost over $5 billion and take around 9 years.

Critics question how starting from scratch on a new plane can be accomplished for $1 billion and under 2-3 years. They also have suggested that adding $1 billion in resources to the existing project (VC-25 B) could dramatically accelerate the original project’s timetable to produce two workable planes before the end of the Trump Presidency.

A simple solution

The Qatar plane could be refitted as a non-functional replica identical to the new Air Force One planes under construction. It could be permanently housed at the proposed Trump Library as a tourist attraction. Public money could be raised, or existing Trump Presidential library funds could be allocated.

Reconfiguring this as a non-functioning replica would save a considerable amount of money ($Billion+) because the expensive electronics and security measures would not be required if it were not used for Presidential communication, command, and control.

For comparison purposes, the annual budget for the National Weather Service is $1.3 billion, which is being cut substantially.

Take action

These Congressional committees oversee this project:

In addition

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT): has filed an amendment to ban funds for renovating the airplane for military use.