Trump unveils new Air Force One, as he plans trips to China and Turkey
The US president’s use of an aircraft – worth hundreds of millions of dollars – from Qatar has raised ethical and security concerns
A new Air Force One gifted by Qatar as a replacement aircraft for ferrying US presidents was unveiled Friday by the US Air Force.
“The Air Force’s VC-25B Bridge aircraft has officially arrived at the Presidential Airlift Group and will commence its initial commissioning flights, marking the successful delivery of a secure, modified executive platform,” the Air Force said.
“The workmanship of this plane is, when you see it, you won’t believe it,” Trump said from inside the massive Andrews Air Force Base hangar, as a couple hundred assembled Air Force personnel looked on.
He spoke after stepping off the new plane in a dramatic flourish, as his signature tune “God Bless the USA” played.
Trump confirmed that he would be taking the new jet to the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, next month and indicated he would be returning to China “at some point during the year”, presumably a reference to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that China is hosting in November.
His return from the Group of 7 summit in France this week was the last planned trip aboard the old Air Force One, he said.