President Trump visited Joint Base Andrews today, where his new prized possession (at least while serving as president) is a rechristened Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8 that was a gift from Qatar early in his term. The more spacious airliner for the nation’s chief executive will be housed in a dedicated hangar at the base, which serves as the president’s personal airport.
After “commissioning runs” to test its many functions, the aircraft will become Trump’s personal plane of choice until 2029. Though the plane was a gift, the U.S. has spent $400 million retrofitting it for the security and other features needed to fly the Commander-in-Chief.
“This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody has ever seen before,” Trump said at the unveiling. He said his first trip aboard the luxury liner will be to the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, next month. Before that, it will do a flyover for July 4 celebration in Washington, D.C.
