Trump First His Ride in His Qatar Gifted 747 After $400m Tax Payer Refit

President hails luxury Air Force One as 'greatest plane ever built' after $400M retrofit sparks fresh political row

President Donald Trump has shrugged off criticism over the use of taxpayer money to retrofit a luxury Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, insisting the aircraft is a bargain compared with building a new presidential jet from scratch.

Trump boarded the newly modified aircraft for the first time on Wednesday as he travelled to North Dakota, describing it as "maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built" and saying America should be proud to fly it.

Trump Defends Controversial Gift

The aircraft, donated by Qatar's ruling family and reportedly worth around $400 million, has triggered months of criticism from Democrats, ethics experts and some Republicans over the unprecedented foreign gift.

But Trump dismissed the controversy before take-off.

"It cost very little relative to what it would cost if we did it a different way," he told reporters.

He also praised Qatar for sparing no expense on the aircraft.

"They spent top dollar," Trump said.

Millions Spent On Security Upgrade

Although the aircraft itself was donated, the U.S. Air Force has spent months retrofitting the 14-year-old Boeing 747 in Texas with the sophisticated communications, security and defence systems required for presidential travel.

Officials have estimated those modifications will cost American taxpayers less than $400 million—still far below the price of designing and building a completely new aircraft.

Trump Says America Needed A Better Plane

The President argued the ageing Air Force One fleet no longer reflected America's global standing.

"Our Air Force One was 35 or 36 years old," Trump said.

"It would be parked next to the new ones like this and it really didn't look appropriate for our country."

He added that Boeing itself described the aircraft as "the best plane ever built."

Luxury Interior Revealed

Journalists travelling with the President caught a first glimpse inside the refurbished aircraft.

The cabin features cream and gold colour schemes, polished dark wood finishes and luxury lie-flat seats equipped with massage functions and lumbar support.

Television screens throughout the press cabin broadcast Fox News during the flight.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung later shared additional photographs of the aircraft's lavish interior on social media.

Presidential Library Plan Raises More Questions

Under the current proposal, the aircraft will remain in government service until shortly before Trump leaves office.

Ownership would then pass to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation, according to officials familiar with the arrangement.

The move has fuelled further political criticism, although the White House insists the aircraft provides taxpayers with exceptional value while Boeing continues work on the delayed next-generation Air Force One fleet.

Trump: 'You've Never Seen Anything Like It'

Clearly enjoying the moment, Trump told reporters the aircraft was unlike anything they had experienced before.

"I'm excited about the first flight," he said.

"It's something nobody's ever seen anything like... they just completed it, they made it appropriate for a president with all the security and bells and whistles. It's really quite something."

The President used the aircraft to travel to North Dakota, where he attended events marking the upcoming 250th anniversary of American independence.

SOURCE

The plane was gifted to the US government, not Trump.

He won't be allowed to keep it.

18 minutes ago, Purdey said:

The plane was gifted to the US government, not Trump.

He won't be allowed to keep it.

After he leaves office, the Qatari bought jet is to be transferred to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation.