United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday took his first flight aboard a luxury Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar, describing the aircraft as an exceptional addition while dismissing criticism surrounding the controversial gift.
Speaking to journalists before departing from Joint Base Andrews for North Dakota, Trump said he was excited to travel on the newly modified aircraft, which is serving as a temporary Air Force One.
“To be honest with you, I’m excited about the first flight. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it,” Trump said.
The president is scheduled to attend an event at the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library as part of activities marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Trump said the aircraft had undergone extensive modifications to meet presidential security standards before entering service.
“They just completed it. 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, but it’s really quite something,” he said.
The luxury jet, originally manufactured by Boeing, was donated by Qatar last year and has since undergone testing and upgrades before its inaugural presidential flight.
The gift has attracted criticism from political opponents and ethics experts, who have questioned the constitutional, ethical and security implications of accepting an aircraft valued at hundreds of millions of dollars from a foreign government.
Trump, however, rejected the concerns, arguing that adapting the aircraft cost American taxpayers far less than commissioning a new presidential jet.
“Frankly, we couldn’t build a plane like this because we wouldn’t be willing to spend the kind of money necessary. They spent top dollars,” he said.
The president also revealed that he had initially asked the Emir of Qatar if he could use the aircraft, but was instead offered the jet as a gift to the United States.
According to Trump, the aircraft will remain in service until Boeing delivers two new purpose-built Air Force One aircraft, a project that has faced repeated delays and rising costs.
The president has long advocated replacing the ageing Air Force One fleet, with one of the existing presidential aircraft accompanying the new jet on Wednesday’s trip as a backup.
