Qatar supplied the luxury 747 Trump wanted as a replacement Air Force One
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted Qatar's Boeing 747-8 for the Defense Department to convert for presidential transport. Trump began flying on the retrofitted aircraft in July 2026. The gift went to the United States, not directly to Trump, while the aircraft's eventual disposition remained a separate public controversy.
Entities and roles
- Pete Hegsethdefense secretary who accepted the aircraft
- Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8, registration N7478Ddonated and retrofitted aircraft
- State of Qatardonor state
- Donald J. Trumpintended and actual presidential user
Claims and evidence
- factdocumented
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted Qatar's Boeing 747-8 on behalf of the Defense Department for conversion and use as presidential transport for Trump.
- Associated Press: Defense Department accepts Boeing 747 from Qatar for Trump's usePentagon acceptance statement
- factdocumented
Trump took his first flight aboard the retrofitted Qatari-donated aircraft on July 1, 2026, placing it in active presidential service.
- Associated Press: Retrofitted Qatari jet takes flight as Air Force One for Trump's trip to North DakotaJuly 1, 2026 maiden presidential flight