President Donald Trump is reportedly considering replacing the next generation of Air Force One with a luxury jet originally owned by the Qatari royal family, amid growing frustration with Boeing over delays and ballooning costs on the presidential aircraft project. The revelation, first reported by The Times UK, sheds light on Trump’s increasing impatience and willingness to bypass traditional routes to secure a faster, flashier solution.
Trump, who signed a $4 billion contract during his first term to modernize the Air Force’s ageing VC-25A fleet, is now exploring an opulent Boeing 747-8 previously operated by Qatar Amiri Flight. According to The Wall Street Journal, he contacted Florida-based aviation firm L3Harris last month to discuss retrofitting the jet for presidential use.
The aircraft’s interior, described by Bloomberg as “worthy of a superyacht,” reportedly includes gilded ceilings, leather-wrapped seating, and conference rooms — a setting well-aligned with Trump’s aesthetic preferences. He toured the jet for 72 minutes at West Palm Beach airport on February 15, just a short drive from his Mar-a-Lago estate.
“I’m not happy with Boeing,” Trump said a few days later aboard the current Air Force One. “We may do something else. We may go and buy a plane.”
Originally built in 2012, the Qatar-owned aircraft was used by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al-Thani, one of the wealthiest members of the royal family. Experts estimate the plane could sell for $75 to $100 million, with its custom interior possibly adding another $25 million to the price tag.
Trump’s dissatisfaction stems from Boeing’s significant delays and cost overruns on the VC-25B program. The company has missed its 2024 delivery deadline by years, now estimating that the first of two aircraft will be completed by 2027, with the second arriving in 2028 — potentially Trump’s last year in a second term, should he win re-election.
Efforts to accelerate the timeline have included Trump enlisting Elon Musk in January to speak with Boeing executives directly. Despite previously defending Boeing as a pillar of American industry, Trump now criticizes the firm as emblematic of U.S. manufacturing decline.
“They are actually in default,” he told Fox News in February, seated beside Musk. “They’ve been building this thing for ever. I don’t know what’s going on.”
While the White House has not confirmed a switch, insiders suggest a mid-June deadline has been set to assess Boeing’s progress. If delays persist, Trump could pull the plug and proceed with acquiring the Qatari jet — a move that would both shock the defense establishment and signal a bold, luxury-infused shift in presidential air travel.
