Sen. Kevin Cramer, RN.D., discusses President Donald Trump’s visit to Qatar, in which the president has given a luxury jet and republicans struggled with the expenditure account.
President Trump was able to fly in one plane in a new plane plane within February, he said on Tuesday as he spoke with members of the press on board the current presidential plane.
“They may say February,” Trump said In response to a question about when he expects to fly on the new Air Force One. “Much earlier than the others.”
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In May Trump formally accepted Qatar’s gift from a Boeing 747 and asked the US Air Force to upgrade the jet so that it could be used as Air Force One. Boeing initially had to deliver two converted 747s last year to replace the current, aging air force one jets. However, that project is years behind schedule and billions about the budget.
US President Donald Trump points out on July 29, 2025 at the end of his trip to Scotland. (Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images / Getty images)
“The others are being built,” said Trump. “… but we get these a year and a half, two years earlier.”
Trump told reporters that he did not know the exact costs of adjusting 13-year-old Qatari jet for presidential use afterwards, and noted that it is ‘up to the army’. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink estimated last month that the project could cost hundreds of millions of dollars, while Democratic legislators said that, according to Reuters, the retrofit could cost more than $ 1 billion.
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The JET must be equipped with secure communication systems, rocket taft, air tank options, protection against electromagnetic pulse attacks and countermeasures for electronic jamming. It should also be released from possible supervision hardware.
“We are going to have a great 747. We need it,” Trump said, respond to a question whether it is worth the costs afterwards of the new aircraft. “If you look at this plane, it is 32, 34, 35 [years old] – I don’t know, it’s old. … it’s very difficult to get parts. “
US President Donald Trump Boards Air Force One at Raf Lossiemouth, on July 29, 2025 in Lossiemouth, Scotland. (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images / Getty images)
The two current air force one aircraft in which President Donald Trump flies, are military versions of Boeing’s 747-200B, known as the VC-25A. They were employed in 1990.
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“If you look at 747s and, you know, the heads of state mainly from the Arab countries … And you place it on the right, it is not good for the United States,” Trump added.
The gift from Qatar was a Boeing 747-8i, the largest and newest version of the 747 series by the Washington-based aircraft manufacturer.
In July 2018, the Air Force granted Boeing a fixed price contract of $ 3.9 billion for two highly tailor-made 747-8s, after months of negotiation. Boeing has already reported more than $ 2.5 billion in losses on the program.
The deeper ties of President Donald Trump with Qatar come up with a free Jet offer in the midst of the growing influence of the Gulf state in American policy. (Getty Images; Photo -Illustration / Getty Images)
“If you remember it, it was Obama that the plane wanted to get,” said Trump. “He was the one who was ready to sign a contract, and because he wanted to sign it, I assume they were paying too much. And I could … maybe … [$1.5 billion to $1.7 billion] Apart from the price for exactly the same surface. “
The Air Force and Boeing officially said they strive for 2027 to complete the aircraft. However, the White House has estimated that the timeline could be pushed back even further – until 2029 or later.
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