President Trump flew for the first time on a new Air Force One, a Boeing 747 gifted by the Qatari government, yesterday on a trip to North Dakota.
The recent-model jet took off from Joint Base Andrews. Trump told reporters before departure that it would be the first flight of what he called maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built.
The plane, which Qatar gave to the U.S. last year, features a bold red, white and blue color scheme. Trump said the country should be very proud of it and that the jet will eventually go to his presidential library.
Democrats and some Republicans have raised ethical and national security concerns over the gift from a foreign government. The Air Force stated the aircraft is safe, secure and equipped with the most advanced technologies despite an accelerated retrofit estimated at less than $400 million.
