Donald Trump took the first flight on the Qatar-donated Air Force One on Wednesday, traveling from Maryland to North Dakota in less than three hours. He called the $400 million luxury jet the “best plane ever built” after boarding at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.
Joint Base Andrews in Maryland
Before he boarded, Trump said, “Nobody's ever seen anything like it” and, “This was a gift from a country that treated us really well.” The plane had been donated by Qatar last year for Trump’s use, and the flight marked its inaugural trip with him aboard.
Boeing Fleet and Qatar
The administration said the plane is a bridge between an aging Boeing fleet and replacements that are running behind schedule. Lawmakers in both parties raised concerns that the donation could leave the U.S. government feeling indebted to Qatar, while the administration denied that the donation created any conflict of interest.
Trump visited the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, after the flight. A small press corps traveled with him on the maiden voyage, and a group of Rough Riders on horseback escorted his motorcade to the new library.
Medora, North Dakota
Trump stepped off a star-spangled Freedom250 Train in Medora and tied the trip to the library opening scheduled for July 4. The flight, the stop in North Dakota, and the donation controversy now sit together in the same moment: the plane is in use, the replacements are still not ready, and the debate over the gift has not gone away.
