Media: Trump may get Qatar-gifted presidential jet by Independence Day

The US Air Force is aiming to deliver a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar in time for the Fourth of July celebrations, allowing the aircraft to join the Air Force One fleet ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary, a US official and a person familiar with the program told Reuters.

The White House accepted the luxury jet from Qatar in 2025 and instructed the Air Force to upgrade the aircraft to presidential standards quickly. L3Harris Technologies was selected to carry out the modifications.

If the company meets the deadline, Donald Trump could begin using the aircraft during national celebrations this summer.

According to the source, officials also explored delivering the aircraft about three weeks earlier to coincide with Trump’s birthday on June 14, before the July 4 target date.

The Qatari gift has faced criticism from Democrats and government ethics advocates, who argued that accepting the aircraft could create a conflict of interest and potentially influence presidential decision-making. Trump dismissed those concerns, saying it would be “stupid” to reject the 13-year-old aircraft, which has a list price of about $400 million.

Experts have said the aircraft requires extensive retrofitting to meet presidential security standards, including communications upgrades to prevent espionage and defensive systems capable of countering missile threats.

An Air Force spokesperson said, “The aircraft is on schedule to deliver this summer.” The spokesperson added that the aircraft has completed modification work and flight testing and is currently being painted.

Meanwhile, the official Air Force One replacement program involving two modified Boeing 747-8 jets remains four years behind schedule. Delivery of the next-generation presidential aircraft is not expected until mid-2028.

Boeing signed a fixed-price $3.9 billion contract for the program in 2018, but costs have since risen above $5 billion. The company has recorded $2.4 billion in related charges. In 2025, Boeing appointed former Northrop Grumman executive Steve Sullivan, who previously worked on the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider program, to oversee the effort.

The Air Force recently unveiled a new red, white, dark blue and gold paint scheme for its executive aircraft fleet, reviving a design long favoured by Trump. The updated livery will appear on the VC-25B aircraft, the military designation for the Boeing 747-8, replacing the blue-and-white design used since the era of John F. Kennedy.

In December, the Air Force also purchased two former Lufthansa Boeing 747-8i aircraft for $400 million. One will be used as a training aircraft for crews and maintenance personnel, while the other will provide spare parts as the current presidential fleet, in service since 1990, approaches retirement.

By Tamilla Hasanova