Qatar 747 emerges in Trump Air Force One livery ahead of planned public debut

The Boeing 747-8 gifted to the United States by Qatar has emerged from its paint shop wearing President Donald Trump’s preferred red, white, dark blue and gold Air Force One-style livery.

Photos shot by aviation photographer Travis Ghormley and widely disseminated on social media show the aircraft at night and again in daylight at Waco, Texas, where it had moved after modification and flight-testing work at L3Harris’ facility in Greenville, Texas.

The images, including photos shared on X, show the aircraft painted with all-caps “United States of America” on the fuselage, a dark blue underside, a red-and-gold throughline and American flag on the tail. There is also a presidential seal near the forward cabin and a US Air Force roundel on the aft fuselage.

The aircraft is the so-called VC-25B Bridge aircraft, an interim presidential transport intended to fill the gap while Boeing continues work on the two fully outfitted 747-8 aircraft that will eventually replace the current VC-25A Air Force One fleet.

Reuters reported in May 2026 that the US Air Force was targeting a July 4 delivery for the Qatar-supplied aircraft so it could join the presidential airlift fleet in time for celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. The aircraft also could make its public debut around the July 4 holiday.

Air & Space Forces Magazine reported that the aircraft has been painted and is undergoing final government modifications. The US Air Force has not publicly announced an official delivery date.

The newly painted 747 appears similar to renderings previously released by the US Air Force and the White House showing Trump’s chosen paint scheme for the next generation of Air Force One aircraft. A model showing a similar design has also been seen in the Oval Office during meetings with foreign leaders.

The paint scheme has been controversial because it replaces the Kennedy-era white and light-blue look that has defined Air Force One for more than six decades. Purists favor the current pale blue and white livery, which has become closely associated with Air Force executive transport and the presidential brand itself.

Trump has long criticized the existing “baby blue” look and pushed for a more overtly patriotic red, white and blue design. The new scheme also adds gold, a signature color for Trump. The Oval Office has been redecorated with extensive gold accents, and Trump’s personal aircraft have also traditionally carried gold striping.

The bridge aircraft is separate from the two Boeing-built VC-25B aircraft ordered to replace the current Air Force One fleet. Those aircraft are years behind schedule and are now expected to arrive in 2028.

The VC-25B Bridge shown unpainted earlier in 2026. / Courtesy US Air ForceThe current presidential 747s, based on the Boeing 747-200B, entered service in 1990. The replacement aircraft are based on the larger Boeing 747-8.

The Qatar aircraft has drawn criticism from Democrats and government ethics advocates since the Trump administration accepted it in 2025. Critics questioned the propriety of accepting a luxury aircraft from a foreign government and raised security concerns about converting a previously owned foreign aircraft for presidential use.

The Air Force has said the aircraft has undergone modification and flight testing and that safety and security were central to the conversion. L3Harris is carrying out the work, with Boeing providing engineering data to support structural modifications.

Any US Air Force aircraft carrying the president uses the call sign Air Force One. Until then, the former Qatari 747 is a presidential transport aircraft being prepared for that role.

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