The Qatari Boeing 747-8i aircraft gifted to the United States to serve as an interim Air Force One is now donning the red, white and blue livery.
The president’s aircraft, referred to as the VC-25B Bridge, is undergoing its final “government modifications,” an Air Force spokesperson told Military Times on Wednesday.
A photograph of the aircraft sporting its new paint job circulated on social media this week. It was taken by aviation photographer Travis Ghormley on Saturday and posted the following day.
The controversial gift from Qatar was donated in May 2025 after President Donald Trump aired his dissatisfaction over Boeing’s delays to deliver two new VC-25B aircraft. The replacement of the current Air Force One was originally slated for 2024, but now it is expected in 2028.
The Air Force provided an update on the Bridge aircraft at the beginning of May, saying it completed flight testing and is on track for a summer delivery to the Presidential Airlift Group. The service did not specify when the president will begin flying in the aircraft.
The spokesperson declined Wednesday to comment on what final modifications are being made to the aircraft.
To make the plane suitable for a president, the plane would require a reinforced defense with countermeasures, encrypted communications and other capabilities installed.
Currently, the president is flying in a version of the Boeing 747 aircraft, the VC-25A.
Cristina Stassis is a reporter covering stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military/veteran affairs and more. She previously worked as an editorial fellow for Defense News in 2024 where she assisted the newsroom in breaking news across Sightline Media Group.
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