The Qatar-built Boeing 747 donated to the United States is being refitted for President Trump but will keep much of its lavish interior despite a roughly $400 million retrofit focused on security and communications. Multiple U.S. agencies swept the aircraft for surveillance devices during the overhaul. The gift has provoked criticism from some Trump allies, though Trump says the jet is a temporary solution until new Boeing Air Force One planes arrive (likely 2028) and will later be displayed in his presidential library.
Leaked Details: Qatar-Built 747 Kept Largely Intact in $400M Refit for Trump’s Air Force One
Evan Vucci / REUTERS(Evan Vucci)
Leaked details reveal that the Boeing 747 donated by Qatar and being converted for use as a replacement Air Force One for President Donald Trump will retain much of its original, lavish interior despite a roughly $400 million retrofit.
What’s Being Kept — And Why
The jet, originally built for Qatar’s royal family and gifted to the United States last year, is undergoing upgrades to serve as a secure, airborne command center. Officials say most of the opulent fixtures — oversized leather seats, plush couches and faux library-style bookshelves — will remain, with presidential seals replacing royal insignia.
The motorcade of President Donald Trump is parked next to an almost 13-year-old Qatari Boeing 747 at Palm Beach International Airport on Feb. 15, 2025. / ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP via Getty Images
“By and large, the airplane that we’re getting is in the same condition from an interior perspective,” Air Force Gen. Dale White told The Wall Street Journal.
Security and Technical Work Drove the Cost
According to officials, the roughly $400 million price tag is largely attributable to security, communications and systems upgrades needed to operate the jet as a flying command post rather than to cosmetic refurbishment. As part of the retrofit, the aircraft was stripped back and inspected to ensure no surveillance devices or concealed technology were embedded during its time in foreign service.
Multiple U.S. agencies reportedly conducted sweeps of the plane to detect potential threats and certify its security. “The full force of the United States government and the agencies that exist inside of that government have been instrumental in allowing us to be able to make sure that it is a secure aircraft,” Gen. White told the Journal.
Images of Donald Trump's Presidential Library. / screen grab
Political Fallout
The gift has sparked controversy since it was accepted. Some of Mr. Trump’s political allies publicly criticized the decision to use a Qatari-built aircraft. Sen. Rick Scott said, “I’m not flying on a Qatari plane. They support Hamas,” while Sen. Josh Hawley argued it would be preferable for Air Force One to be built in the United States.
Temporary Measure and Future Plans
Mr. Trump has defended accepting the aircraft, noting it was given to the Defense Department and describing it as a temporary solution until Boeing delivers newly produced Air Force One jets, which are not expected until at least 2028. He added that the plane would be transferred to his presidential library after he leaves office and would not be used by him post-presidency.
Renderings of the planned presidential library show the aircraft prominently displayed in the lobby next to a golden escalator — underscoring how the donated jet may be treated as both a government asset and a personal exhibit.
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