# Trump is going to use a gifted foreign aircraft as Air Force One **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [May 11, 2025, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256 "2025-05-11T17:23:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2025, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/161 "2025-05-18T21:54:17Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > One better hope that airplane is thoroughly swept and checked for listening bugs/devices. If you look at the upcoming fleet of E-4B’s (Doomsday planes) you’ll see that they’re all 747-8’s from Korean Air. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2025, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/162 "2025-05-19T16:07:02Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Thinking about his life since November 5 2024: does ANYONE ever give him honest feedback? About his appearance or about anything else? Why would anyone make fun of his appearance? He is the most gifted at applying the orange spackle. Zoom in on this picture to see how expertly he colors within the lines. No one has ever done better. People come up to him and say “SIR! Your oranging is better than I have ever seen!” [![](https://time.com/redesign/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.time.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F05%2Ftrump-signing-of-deal.jpg&w=3840&q=75) ](https://time.com/redesign/_next/image/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.time.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F05%2Ftrump-signing-of-deal.jpg&w=3840&q=75) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/163 "2025-05-20T22:17:41Z")
The whole world laughs at him. If he ever finds out how hard and how universal is the laughter: look out. (He has the nuclear codes.) ---
**Author:** ![betonbill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@betonbill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betonbill)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/164 "2025-05-20T22:49:55Z")
Has the plane just been sitting around for the past couple of years? Has anyone been using it? Does it still fly? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/165 "2025-05-21T00:31:20Z")
AFAIH, the aircraft has been on the market for half a decade. That doesn’t say anything about its airworthiness, but I assume that the Qataris kept it maintained and ran the engines periodically to keep it in flying condition. That’s why such things are money pits. (Trump’s own 757 is a money pit, which needed a _lot_ of maintenance to get it airworthy again.) ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/166 "2025-05-21T00:36:13Z")
Yes, I recall reading somewhere (no cite beyond my erratic memory) that the plane had been sucking up lots of maintenance costs while it languished on the market. No wonder the Qataris were thrilled to have finally found a sucker to take it off their hands. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/167 "2025-05-21T01:54:39Z")
A sucker who doesn’t seem to be aware\* that by the time it’s converted to an AF1 (which will most likely stripping it down to the airframe and installing everything from scratch, plus new engines, expanded fuel capacity &c&c&c), Boeing will most likely have delivered one or both of the “real” AF1s. He was probably entranced by the “flying palace” interior, which will be gone. \* Yes, I know that I could have stopped right here. ---
**Author:** ![Tokushizu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@Tokushizu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tokushizu)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/168 "2025-05-21T02:05:30Z")
I’m hesitant to post anything here because I tend to read/lurk rather than post on any site even remotely related to social media, but this is IMHO a very good and eye opening article (originally published in the NYT) about the whole affair. It’s paywall-free from a site which I’ve safely used for a year or more. > **[The Inside Story of Trump’s Search for a New Air Force One](https://dnyuz.com/2025/05/19/the-inside-story-of-trumps-search-for-a-new-air-force-one/)** > > ” class=”css-dc6zx6 ey68jwv2″\> ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/169 "2025-05-21T02:54:33Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > by the time it’s converted to an AF1 … Boeing will most likely have delivered one or both of the “real” AF1s. I’m rather taken by the idea that, at the end of his term, Boeing get to deliver a stripped-down airframe for display at the 45/47 Presidential library. Sort of an emblematic thing. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/170 "2025-05-21T02:59:22Z")
> [@betonbill](#): > > Has the plane just been sitting around for the past couple of years? Press reports say it was in Florida in February and now is in San Antonio. If the current Air Force Ones become too old to fly safely prior to the new ones under contruction being completed, the President could used the same plane as the Secretary of State or Defense – or any military transport. There’s a similar issue with the presidential helicopters being old, and with replacements extremely expensive and behind schedule: > **[VH-92 Patriot Fully Taking Over Marine One Duties Has Slipped To End Of Decade](https://www.twz.com/air/vh-92-patriot-taking-over-marine-one-duties-full-has-slipped-till-end-of-decade)** > > After major delays, the VH-92 is stepping into the Marine One role more fully, but total transition will come seven years later than planned. I would say that the President should instead drive to the airport, except that they would then stop traffic. If the Democrats ever get back in, they should end all this business of treating the President like an emperor. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/171 "2025-05-21T19:30:17Z")
The Pentagon has accepted the aircraft. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/172 "2025-05-21T19:49:13Z")
Here are things I don’t understand: What is the benefit of this plane when by the time it is fixed up the new planes from Boing will likely be ready? Do they not understand the millions of dollars it will take to get it appropriate to serve as AF1? If it is a gift accepted by the Air Force then why is Trump getting it after he leaves office? Can the military just gift a multimillion dollar piece of equipment to a former president? Would he have been able to take the current AF1 after the new planes arrived? Does Trump realize that Qatar has been trying to unload this aircraft because of the astronomical fee for upkeep? ( Although I do relish the thought of all the Trump supporters donating money to his “library” that will essentially be going to maintain his private plane). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/173 "2025-05-21T20:04:32Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > What is the benefit of this plane when by the time it is fixed up the new planes from Boing will likely be ready? It’s _gooooooold!_ Trump does not understand what it means to be the Commander in Chief, so he has no understanding of what VC-25 _is_. He thinks it’s just a limousine in the sky. So, something slightly bigger, a bit newer, and much more luxurious is all he cares about. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/174 "2025-05-21T20:07:25Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > If the Democrats ever get back in, they should end all this business of treating the President like an emperor. I’d certainly settle for their figuring out that maybe we can just move him or her around at the same VIP standard _as every other damn major Head of State/Government_ in the West. Also never mind the Presidential gear, let’s see them admit to themselves that the US military version of _any_ helicopter, command jet, icebreaker, frigate, screwdriver, etc. so often takes decades and billions past projection for a new model to come on line only to then perform short of expected specs, because _they_ **and** their GOP colleagues agree on that they have to first give love and care to all the subcontractors in all their districts. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Trump does not understand what it means to be the Commander in Chief, so he has no understanding of what VC-25 _is_. He thinks it’s just a limousine in the sky. That, too. Which also goes with his petty-as-always thing about getting rid of the traditional livery and making it look more airlinerish. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/175 "2025-05-21T20:37:24Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > I’d certainly settle for their figuring out that maybe we can just move him or her around at the same VIP standard _as every other damn major Head of State/Government_ in the West. To be fair, I suspect he has rather more enemies that “every other damn major Head of State/Government in the West”—combined. Edited: without annoying spaces, quotation marks formatted this as italics. Trying curly quotes. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/176 "2025-05-21T21:03:10Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > …And if he is smart, DJT will… About that ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/177 "2025-05-21T21:09:06Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > To be fair, I suspect he has rather more enemies that “every other damn major Head of State/Government in the West” And that the hypothetical guy pulling the trigger is most likely to be one of his own citizens. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/178 "2025-05-21T21:52:33Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > Here are things I don’t understand: \>_DING-DING!_ 🛎\< Sorry, questions disqualified on the basis that logic, reason, and common sense have NO place in this discussion. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/179 "2025-05-21T22:59:43Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > What is the benefit of this plane when by the time it is fixed up the new planes from Boing will likely be ready? You answered your own question. > [@psychobunny](#): > > If it is a gift accepted by the Air Force then why is Trump getting it after he leaves office? It’s not about serving as AF1. It’s about getting a shiny object for himself, should he decide to leave office. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256/180 "2025-05-21T23:08:14Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > What is the benefit of this plane when by the time it is fixed up the new planes from Boing will likely be ready? He’s not going to wait. He will wait as long as it takes for them to repaint it and then he will start flying around in it. Remember, he wanted the metal detectors taken away on Jan 6th because “they aren’t here to hurt me”. He absolutely does not care about information security and he probably thinks this jet is fast enough to outrun any missiles that might be shot at it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-is-going-to-use-a-gifted-foreign-aircraft-as-air-force-one/1018256.md?page=10)