US President Donald Trump unveiled his new official aircraft, Air Force One. The luxurious Boeing 747, worth approximately $400 million, was handed over to the American side by the Qatari government. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The ceremony took place at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington. Trump descended the aircraft's stairs, inspected the plane, and spoke to journalists.
The new airliner features an updated red, white, and dark blue color scheme. According to Trump, the plane will participate in a large-scale air parade on July 4, when the US celebrates the 250th anniversary of the country's founding.
"Nobody can surpass this plane. Nobody even comes close," the US president stated.
Trump called the new aircraft "the biggest and best in every way" and compared it to a flying White House.
According to US media, the aircraft is valued at $400 million. However, additional costs for modernization and installation of special security systems may be required, which experts estimate could exceed $1 billion.
The transfer of the plane sparked controversy in the US. Critics point out that such an expensive gift from a foreign state could raise ethical and security concerns.
The US Air Force reported that the aircraft is ready for its first operational flights. The new plane has been designated VC-25B Bridge and is expected to help reduce the burden on the current presidential fleet.
Currently, two Boeing 747s are used for presidential travel. After Trump's term ends, the new plane is planned to be transferred to the Trump Library.
Earlier, thousands of media outlets quoted Trump's speech at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, France. He told world leaders: "I am the boss here." The remark came amid discussions of key global crises and future decisions on Ukraine, Iran, and the global economy.
On the night of June 18, the US and Iran signed a memorandum aimed at ending the conflict. One of the key points of the memorandum was Iran's commitment to abandon the development or acquisition of nuclear weapons.
Trump also stated that Washington intends to achieve an end to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, despite the process proving more difficult than expected.