Don’t Fly By The Obvious: New Air Force One Operational Within Six Months- In Time For G20 Leaders’ Summit In South Africa. Repainting Only. Other Changes/Upgrades Wait. Not Freud’s Envy, But Close
Qatar Force One Will Be Operational As Soon As New Paint Scheme Is Dry
President Trump Wants To Fly On Aircraft With New Paint Scheme
He Or His Library Should Pay For Repainting
He Will Not Wait For Security Upgrades
Will Not Worry That Qatar Force One Has Fewer Seats Than Air Force One
How Much Will Billionaires, Politicians Pay For One Of Fewer Seats?
Ready For Inaugural Flight To G20 Leaders’ Summit In Johannesburg?
Is It The Optics, Stupid?
Not Freud’s Envy, But Close
Observers are flying by the obvious when creating outcomes for the newly-acquired aircraft that Donald Trump, President of the United States (2025-2029), expects to use call sign Air Force One when he is aboard.
President Trump’s desired “patriotic paint scheme” for Boeing 747-800 aircraft to used as Air Force One when president of the United States is aboard
Some will say his focus on optics rather than traditional operational norms is reckless. Others will argue he is being practical. For President Trump, generally optics trump most other considerations.
He is not preoccupied about security protocols normally necessitating the removal and reinstallation of all interior furnishings, removal and then replacement of all wiring, installation of defensive measures and offensive measures, and removal of existing paint and then repainting. Estimates for repainting are six months. Estimates for everything else exceed one year, but likely two years or more. Estimate of the cost to strip and then repaint Qatar Force One is US$500,000.00 to US$1 million.
President Trump might offer to pay that himself or, better idea, have the cash-flush Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation, Inc., make the payment since that not-for-profit organization will be the ultimate beneficiary of the currently valued US$200+ million Qatar Force One aircraft.
President Trump wants the United States Department of Defense (DOD) to focus singularly upon one task- repaint Qatar Force One, the Boeing 747-800KB aircraft, with the “patriotic color scheme” he first presented during the Trump-Pence Administration (2015-2019). A model of the aircraft is displayed on a coffee table in the Oval Office in The White House.
From his perspective, there is always a second aircraft following whichever aircraft the president of the United States is using. There are two existing Boeing 747-200B aircraft if needed. He can use either for communication that is sensitive. One issue is that everything said by a president of the United States is sensitive to someone. President Trump would be comfortable with the installation of a system from Hawthorne, California-based Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (known as Starlink). As for safety, whichever aircraft is transporting the president of the United States is escorted by aircraft of the DOD. So, if Qatar Force One is absent what the existing aircraft used as Air Force One have in terms of defensive countermeasures and offensive countermeasures, then the number of DOD aircraft accompanying Qatar Force One can be increased. Certainly, a substantial increase in operational costs to transport the president of the United States.
Background
The State of Qatar has “gifted” a Boeing 747-800KB (P4-HBJ) aircraft manufactured in 2012 to the government of the United States with the understanding that on 20 January 2029 the aircraft will then be donated to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation, Inc. a private not-for-profit. Donald Trump, President of the United States (2025-2029), has shared that he will not use the aircraft after his term ends. His statements are vague in terms of whether others might use the aircraft and if so, who would benefit from any revenue.
Boeing 747-800 aircraft “gifted” by State of Qatar to the United States Department of Defense
P4-HBJ was delivered to Qatar Amiri Flight in April 2012 and used by the House of Thani. In June 2023, it was delivered to Global Jet Isle of Man. The U.S. federal government entered negotiations to acquire the plane in 2025 for use as an interim Air Force One aircraft.
On 21 May 2025, Troy Meink, United States Secretary of the Air Force, announced that Pete Hegseth, United States Secretary of Defense, had formally accepted the aircraft and instructed the United States Department of Defense to make necessary changes to the aircraft. As currently configured, the Boeing 747-800KB aircraft seats eighty-nine (89) passengers.
Since 1990, the presidential fleet has consisted of two Boeing 747-200B (VC-25A) aircraft which can accommodate a total of 102 people, including the president, staff, security detail, and a crew of twenty-six. It has a passenger capacity of up to seventy-six (76).
Current aircraft used as Air Force One when president of the United States is aboard
In 2015, the DOD ordered two Boeing 747-800 (VC-25B) aircraft, the first of which is expected to be operational in 2027 and the second expected to be operational in 2028.
The Trump-Pence Administration (2015-2018) renegotiated aspects of the contract with Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing Company and “threatened to cancel the program if the overall cost exceeded US$4 billion.” In 2017, to reduce costs the DOD contracted to purchase two completed but undelivered 747-800 aircraft from Boeing Company.
In 2018, Boeing Company agreed to a request from the Trump-Pence Administration for a new color scheme for the Boeing 747-800 aircraft. The “patriotic color scheme” features a deep red stripe down the middle of the aircraft and a dark blue underbelly. In 2023, beset by delays and increasing cost for the aircraft, the patriotic color scheme was scrapped, and a modernized version of the classic Air Force One design confirmed.
CNN (March 2025): The US Air Force unveiled a new color scheme for the new Air Force One jets under construction on Friday, doing away with the darker red, white, and blue chosen by former President Donald Trump and opting for a modernized version of the classic design of the president’s aircraft. The color scheme also scraps the design Trump wanted for Air Force One, which featured a deep red stripe down the middle of the aircraft and a dark blue underbelly. It was confirmed that Trump’s preferred color scheme had been rejected last year because it would require additional engineering, increasing the time it would take to build and the cost of the aircraft, which has already suffered numerous delays. The dark blue paint threatened to overheat sophisticated electronic components on board and would have required additional Federal Aviation Administration qualification testing, the Air Force said.”
New aircraft to be used as Air Force One when president of the United States is aboard
Boeing 757-200 aircraft manufactured in 1991 currently operated by The Trump Organization