President Donald Trump, who has publicly expressed frustration with the aging presidential aircraft, is expected to board a new Air Force One refurbished from a plane donated by Qatar this summer. The aircraft is widely expected to be used for the United States' 250th founding anniversary events in July.
CNN reported on the 22nd that the U.S. Air Force said in a statement that modification work is underway to use the aircraft donated by Qatar as the new Air Force One and that it is scheduled to be delivered this summer, about a year from now. However, CNN said it remains unclear whether the aircraft will be ready to fly immediately upon delivery or will require additional test flights before being used as the presidential aircraft.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also reported that the aircraft donated by Qatar is set to be delivered to President Trump this summer after modifications, saying, "If delivery is finalized, it could be used for the United States' 250th founding anniversary events scheduled for July." WSJ said it is "uncertain" whether the plane will be "converted into a fully functional Air Force One" by the time of the Independence Day events, but noted it is likely to be fitted with secure communications systems and receive a new paint scheme.
Ahead of his first Middle East trip after taking office in May, President Trump said Qatar's royal family would donate a high-priced aircraft and that it would be used as Air Force One, the presidential aircraft. He had initially said the plane could be operational by February of this year. Qatar chose to donate the aircraft free of charge to the U.S. government (Ministry of National Defense).
At the time, major media outlets said it would take considerable time to modify a regular aircraft to operate as Air Force One and projected that completing the work by February would be difficult. Unlike regular aircraft, Air Force One must be equipped with robust secure communications systems, missile defense, aerial refueling capability, and electronic warfare countermeasures to prepare for contingencies.
The two Boeing 747s currently used for presidential airlift missions have been in operation since the early 1990s during the George H. W. Bush administration. For this reason, President Trump has complained since his first term that Air Force One is excessively old and too small, and White House aides are also said to avoid long flights because the seats do not recline fully and the bathrooms are cramped.
In particular, on the 20th, the plane carrying President Trump, aides, and reporters to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, turned back over the Atlantic due to an "electrical issue." Trump returned to the Washington area, switched planes at Joint Base Andrews to a C-32 commonly used by the first lady or Cabinet members, and departed for Switzerland again, arriving in Davos about two hours later than originally scheduled.
After the incident, White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt joked that the Qatar aircraft sounded "much better," and said, "This minor mechanical issue shows President Trump's judgment was right. The new Air Force One will be a welcome donation to the U.S. Air Force not only for the president but also for the entire Air Force One crew."