US President Donald Trump speaks in front of the new Air Force One, gifted to him by by Qatar, in a (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
New photos shared by the White House’s Rapid Response team show the brand new Air Force One aircraft, gifted to President Donald Trump by the government of Qatar.
The Boeing 747-8 plane will serve as the new primary mode of air transport for the president, boasting an ultra luxurious interior, with the total cost of the plan estimated to be around $400 million.
“There will never be one like this. This is very unique. This is considered the world’s most luxurious plane,” the president said at Joint Base Andrews, the military post outside Washington that has served as the presidential airport for decades. “When it was built, it was built at a level that will probably never be seen again.”
Trump met with airmen from the U.S. Air Force on Friday before he departed for Camp David for the weekend. The president arrived at Joint Base Andrews following a trip to France for the G7 conference.
According to Trump, a new hangar had to be built to park the jet since it was much bigger than the previous one.
President Donald Trump speaks after touring the newly designated Air Force One presidential aircraft (Image: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
The Air Force said in a press release that the aircraft would soon begin taking “commissioning flights,” and its “final exam” before being used by the president for transport. “Fresh from receiving its new red, white, and blue livery and the final government modifications, the aircraft has entered service to provide critical, secure continuity for the commander in chief,” the Air Force said. It also added that the plane was “safe, secure and equipped with the most advanced technologies necessary to meet the requirements of the presidential mission.” Last year, the Air Force leased the 747-8 to train pilots in how to commandeer the vehicle. The plane will replace the military-grade 747-2 that has served presidents for more than 30 years.
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At the G7 Summit, Trump signed a long-teased peace deal with Iran to end a war that was launched at the end of February. He signed the deal in the Palace of Versailles, seated next to French President Emmanuel Macron.
The agreement stipulated an immediate cessation of military activities “on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” where Israel has been engaged with the Iran-supported Hezbollah militant organization, while also safeguarding Lebanon’s “territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
But in the hours that followed the signing, the agreement quickly began to crack after continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
Iran contended that the attacks, occurring less than 24 hours after the ceasefire signing, represent a clear violation of U.S. commitments under the agreement.
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