Treating the aircraft as safe for the commander in chief with just a few modifications is "absurd," one former senior defense official said.

Saudi Arabia didn't even wait for U.S. President Donald Trump to land there before it set out to impress him in a sky-high way. As Trump flew in to Riyadh on Tuesday, he got a ceremonial escort from six Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s as his plane approached the kingdom's capital — an exceptionally rare sight.

The nation of Qatar offered the Trump administration a Boeing 747-8 for use as Air Force One. Trump called the plane a "gift," in a post on his social media site, Truth Social. A representative of the administration clarified that Qatar "has offered to donate a plane to the Department of Defense," not to Trump himself.

President Trump has criticized the current Air Force One as “much smaller” and “much less impressive” compared to other world leaders’ jets, and has faced backlash

President Trump’s confirmation that the United States may accept a presidential aircraft gifted from Qatar marked the latest escalation in his clash with Boeing.

President Donald Trump defended Qatar gifting the U.S. a jet to use as Air Force One as the new fleet is still under construction.

Donald Trump may soon receive a $400 million Boeing 747-8, dubbed a "flying palace," from Qatar, potentially circumventing constitutional restrictions on foreign gifts. Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi reportedly devised a plan involving the US Air Force temporarily owning the jet before transferring it to Trump's presidential library foundation.