Image: Julian Herzog ( Website ) · CC BY 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
Trump takes first presidential flight on Qatar-donated VC-25B Air Force One
US President Donald Trump logged the inaugural executive flight aboard the newly converted VC-25B presidential jet, a 747-8 donated by Qatar and revamped by L3Harris for the Air Force One mission.
The gist
President Trump flew the first mission on the new VC-25B Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar and converted for presidential use by L3Harris.
On July 1, 2026, US President Donald Trump undertook the first presidential flight aboard the newest iteration of Air Force One, the VC-25B, a Boeing 747-8 jet converted for executive transport. The flight originated at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, DC, and arrived at Bismarck Municipal Airport in North Dakota, where the president was scheduled for a public appearance. Joint Base Andrews, home to the USAF's 89th Airlift Wing, operates a fleet of executive aircraft including VC-25As, C-32s, C-40s, C-37s, and now the VC-25B Bridge aircraft.
The VC-25B Bridge, as officially designated, is a Boeing Business Jet 747-8 gifted by the government of Qatar in 2025. Defense contractor L3Harris undertook the conversion from the original configuration into a secure and specialized presidential transport. The design and outfitting take cues from the Boeing VC-25B design, the successor model to the long-serving VC-25A.
The announcement and unveiling of the VC-25B Bridge occurred on June 19, 2026. L3Harris completed the conversion and certification process in 10 months, a notably expedited timeline compared to traditional presidential aircraft builds. The company disclosed that the conversion included thoroughly disassembling the airframe for comprehensive security sweeps to detect potential espionage devices or security threats. Interior fit and finish were updated to meet presidential standards while largely retaining the original 747-8 layout.
President Trump expressed praise for the new aircraft, calling it the 'best plane ever built' during a media briefing before departure. Highlighting the enhanced security measures and specially tailored interiors, he remarked that the jet was made 'appropriate for a president.' He also commended the 747 airframe as the 'greatest commercial plane ever built,' in line with his longstanding support for Boeing throughout his administration.
Reports from press pool journalists traveling with the president noted the presence of a dedicated media area aboard the VC-25B featuring a first-class style arrangement, with seats configured in spacious pairs for comfort and productivity. L3Harris confirmed that while retaining much of the cabin layout from the Qatari configuration, modifications were applied to elevations of fit and finish befitting a presidential platform. Jason Lambert, president of L3Harris’s ISR division, acknowledged the selective interior changes aimed at a more presidential atmosphere.
The rapid 10-month conversion period stands in contrast to the Boeing VC-25B presidential jets currently in production, which are scheduled for delivery in 2028. Boeing's version, valued at approximately $4 billion under a 2018 contract, involves converting 747-8 'white-tail' aircraft initially built for the now-defunct Russian airline Transaero. These standard VC-25Bs will replace the aging VC-25A aircraft that entered service in the early 1990s and face increasing maintenance challenges.
President Trump has indicated that the VC-25B Bridge aircraft, sourced from Qatar and currently serving as Air Force One, will be retired from frontline service upon the arrival of Boeing’s next-generation VC-25Bs. He plans for the VC-25B Bridge to be donated to a future presidential library, continuing its legacy beyond active duty.
This inaugural flight and rapid conversion mark a unique chapter in presidential air transport, highlighting alternative acquisition and conversion approaches to sustain Air Force One capabilities amid fleet modernization. The VC-25B Bridge offers an immediate, secure executive air platform during the transition period before the Boeing-built VC-25Bs enter service in the late 2020s.
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