Trump could begin flying on jet donated by Qatar by summer

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump could start flying later this year on the 747 Boeing jetliner donated by the government of Qatar, after the Air Force said it expected to deliver the refurbished plane no later than this summer.

The Air Force has been working since September on upgrading the luxury jet to accommodate the security needs of transporting the president, who has pressed for it to be ready as soon as possible.

Lawmakers and some administration officials have expressed concern about an expedited timeline, fearing the Air Force may not have time to install sufficient security measures.

One person familiar with the project, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive military program, said that the plane would be painted to Trump’s liking and all the luxury amenities would be installed by the summer but that not all the security measures would be. Still, the official expected Trump to sign off on the readiness of the plane because he wants to start using it.

On Thursday, the Air Force said in a statement that it was “committed to expediting delivery” of the plane, “with an anticipated delivery no later than summer 2026.” An Air Force spokesperson said the service had worked with “appropriate government entities to ensure the appropriate security measures and functional mission requirements are met” to transport the president.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said Thursday that she was “deeply troubled by how quickly the Air Force is pressing this aircraft into service.”

“Air Force One should be the most secure aircraft in the world, and cutting any corners could threaten our national security secrets, the president and our entire country,” she said in a statement. “That’s unacceptable.”

The Air Force currently has two planes that are used as presidential aircraft, both of which have been in use for more than 35 years and have had maintenance issues. Just this week, as Trump was on his way to Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum, Air Force One had to return to Washington after experiencing what the White House described as a “minor electrical issue.”

“The United States Air Force has been working diligently to modify the aircraft donated by the government of Qatar in preparation to support the presidential mission,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in a statement Thursday. “They have been closely coordinating with the appropriate government entities to ensure the appropriate security measures and functional mission requirements are met for an aircraft used to transport the president of the United States.”

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on the timeline for the delivery of the new Air Force One.

In May, Troy Meink, the Air Force secretary, told Congress that any civilian aircraft would require “significant modifications” to be considered secure enough to carry Trump.

Industry experts and Pentagon officials estimated the necessary modifications to the aircraft could cost as much as $1 billion and take up to two years to complete. Meink said the modifications would run “probably less than $400 million.”

Trump has long complained that the planes used for Air Force One, which is the designation given to any Air Force plane carrying the president, are outdated and cramped. In his first term, Trump’s administration renegotiated a contract with Boeing for two new 747-8 planes. They are not expected to be finished before the end of his second term.

Last year, Trump accepted the jetliner from Qatar, also a 747-8, which industry executives have estimated is worth about $200 million.

Trump’s decision to accept the Qatari plane drew questions from Democrats and Republicans in Congress, who suggested that Qatar might be trying to improperly influence the president, or that the plane might have listening devices.

Trump brushed off ethical concerns about the gift, saying that only someone “stupid” would reject it.

“I think it’s a great gesture from Qatar,” he said last year. “I appreciate it very much.”

Trump has said that the plane will be transferred to his eventual presidential library after he leaves office in 2029.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.