A new Air Force One gifted by Qatar as a replacement aircraft for ferrying US presidents was unveiled Friday by the US Air Force.
“The Air Force’s VC-25B Bridge aircraft has officially arrived at the Presidential Airlift Group and will commence its initial commissioning flights, marking the successful delivery of a secure, modified executive platform,” the Air Force said.
Qatar’s gift of the aircraft – valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars – has raised ethical, constitutional and security concerns.
US President Donald Trump was set to speak Friday at an event to mark the unveiling of the aircraft.
Trump has previously said it would be “stupid” to reject the gift, while also stoking further concern by saying the plane would eventually be donated to his presidential library.
The US president has fixated on replacing the aircraft, which have been in service since the 1990s, since his first term.
