Trump Takes First Flight on New Air Force One, a Gift from Qatar

US President Donald Trump has taken his first flight on the new Air Force One, an aircraft gifted to him/the US by Qatar.

Members of the president's entourage posted photos on social media on the $US400 million ($580 million) jet.

The trip was to remote western North Dakota where Trump dedicated a museum honouring former US president Theodore Roosevelt.

On board were his two sons Eric and Donald Junior and their wives, Bettina and Lara.

Assistant to the president and White House director of communication Steven Cheung posted photos of the maiden voyage on X.

The pictures show an ornate office and conference table and shelves lined with leather bound books.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted similar photos, calling it a "truly unforgettable day".

She posted several Instagram stories which showed her and others having brunch onboard served in gold-rimmed crockery.

Ham and Swiss cheese croissants and seasonal fruit were seen on the Air Force One menu posted by Ms Leavitt.

The Boeing 747 jetliner, so luxurious it is known as the flying palace, was accepted by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth after the president visited Qatar in May, 2025.

Qatari officials initially denied the jet was being gifted and instead called it a "possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One".

At the time, the Defense Department said it would work to "ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered".

Democratic politicians estimated it would cost more than $US1 billlion ($1.55 billion) to convert the plane to Air Force One standards and tried to block the handover.

But Trump shrugged off ethical and taxpayer concerns and said it would be "stupid" not to accept the jet.

Asked about the cost to taxpayers before boarding, Trump said the gifted plane cost "very little relative to what it would cost if we did it a different way".

"We're very proud of this, the country is very proud of it," Trump said, adding the older Air Force One "didn't look appropriate for our country".

"They made it appropriate for a president, that means the security and all of the different bells and whistles they put on, very complex stuff," he said.

The previous Air Force One airplanes entered service in 1990.

The Air Force One program faced chronic delays over the last decade, with the delivery of two new 747-8s slated for 2027, three years behind the previous schedule.