Coverage dated June 30, 2026 to July 5, 2026

Retrofitted jet gifted by Qatar takes flight as Air Force One for Trump’s North Dakota trip

Headline from Anchorage Daily News, from the development of Jul 1, 2026

Newest development Jul 2, 2026 · 4 reportsA glance inside Trump’s ‘best plane’ on its first flight: Speed and luxury

The refurbished jet is painted in Trump’s preferred color scheme: a navy-blue belly with red and gold stripes.

Anchorage Daily News's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Earlier updates in this story

Developments in this update

2 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. Names this update

    Retrofitted jet gifted by Qatar takes flight as Air Force One for Trump’s North Dakota trip

    Headline from Anchorage Daily News ·

  2. Newest

    A glance inside Trump’s ‘best plane’ on its first flight: Speed and luxury

    Headline from Christian Science Monitor ·

2 reports not tied to one development ·

Read the reports

Reports & sources

41 articles, oldest first.

  1. Military Times

    In a first, Trump will travel aboard Qatari-donated Air Force One (opens Military Times)

    Published

    Military Times's feed description

    Trump will travel to North Dakota on Wednesday for the aircraft's inaugural presidential use over a week after its commissioning flights began.

  2. New York Post

    Trump takes new Qatari jet for test flight to celebrate America 250 — and another president (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    The day of planes, trains and automobiles begins with the presidential aircraft, a brand new addition to the Air Force fleet that ferries government officials on their travels.

  3. The Daily Wire

    Trump Takes Off On Maiden Voyage For Qatar-Gifted Air Force One (opens The Daily Wire)

    Published

    The Daily Wire's feed description

    President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed excitement for the first flight of the new Air Force One, calling the Qatari-gifted jet “the greatest commercial plane ever built.” Trump spoke to reporters on the tarmac before departing to North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presiden…

  4. KEYT Santa Barbara

    Trump says US ‘couldn’t build a plane like this’ as Qatari-gifted Air Force One embarks on inaugural flight (opens KEYT Santa Barbara)

    Published

    KEYT Santa Barbara's feed description

    By Aileen Graef, CNN (CNN) — As President Donald Trump boarded his inaugural flight on the new Air Force One, a luxury jet donated by the government of Qatar, he shared his excitement for the new aircraft and its foreign builders, saying the US “couldn’t build a plane like this.

  5. Green Field Reporter

    Retrofitted Qatari jet takes flight as Air Force One for Trump’s trip to North Dakota (opens Green Field Reporter)

    Published

    Green Field Reporter's feed description

    WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday is taking his maiden voyage on a new Air Force One — a retrofitted Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar that embeds his personality more deeply into the institution of the American presidency.

  6. The New Republic

    Trump Shows Off His Qatari Jet as He Dodges Key Question on Costs (opens The New Republic)

    Published

    The New Republic's feed description

    President Donald Trump took some time out of his morning to announce his very first trip on the Qatari jet he was gifted last year, bragging about the Air Force One replacement he claims was “free” while dodging questions about how much it actually costs. “Air Force One was 35, 36 years old.

  7. Al Jazeera

    Trump takes first flight on new Qatar-gifted Air Force One (opens Al Jazeera)

    Published

    Al Jazeera's feed description

    US President Donald Trump took his maiden voyage aboard the new Air Force One on Wednesday.

  8. The Guardian

    Trump takes first flight on Qatar-gifted Air Force One amid criticism (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    The US president flies to North Dakota on first trip aboard Qatar-gifted 747-8, as critics raise corruption concerns Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email Donald Trump traveled to North Dakota on Wednesday for the first trip onboard the new Air Force One, a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft g…

  9. News Nation Now

    Trump boards new Air Force One for the first time (opens News Nation Now)

    Published

    News Nation Now's feed description

    The Qatari-gifted plane is a retrofitted Boeing 747 worth $400 million.

  10. The Brunswick News

    Trump takes first flight on $400 million Air Force One jet gifted by Qatar (opens The Brunswick News)

    Published

    The Brunswick News's feed description

    President Donald Trump on Wednesday took his first trip on his new luxe Air Force One, a retrofitted Boeing 747 worth an estimated $400 million transferred for free from the oil-rich Middle East nation of Qatar. “I’m excited about the…

  11. UPI

    Trump flies on Qatari-gifted plane to Roosevelt Library opening in N.D. (opens UPI)

    Published

    UPI's feed description

    President Donald Trump flew to North Dakota on Wednesday on the plane given to him by Qatar, his first flight since the plane became Air Force One.

  12. Insider

    How Trump's new Air Force One, a luxury jet from Qatar, compares to the outgoing presidential plane (opens Insider)

    Published

    Insider's feed description

    Donald Trump flew on the new Air Force One, a luxury jet gifted from Qatar, for the first time. Here's how it compares to the old presidential plane.

  13. ABC News

    Trump takes 1st flight on Air Force One gifted by Qatar (opens ABC News)

    Published

    ABC News's feed description

    President Trump is taking the first ride on the new Air Force One 747, which was donated by the Qatari royal family.

  14. Honolulu Star-Advertiser

    Trump debuts refurbished Air Force One gifted by Qatar (opens Honolulu Star-Advertiser)

    Published

    Honolulu Star-Advertiser's feed description

    MEDORA, North Dakota >> While political opponents continue to question the foreign origin and taxpayer costs associated with the luxury Boeing 747, the new Air Force One officially entered executive service today by carrying the president to North Dakota for a historic library dedication.

  15. WMUR

    Qatari jet takes first flight as new Air Force One (opens WMUR)

    Published

    WMUR's feed description

    On Wednesday, President Trump took his maiden voyage on the new Air Force One — a Boeing 747 gifted to the U.S. by Qatar.

  16. The Western Journal

    Trump Takes First Flight on New Air Force One: 'Nobody's Ever Seen Anything Like It' (opens The Western Journal)

    Published

    The Western Journal's feed description

    President Donald Trump took his maiden voyage on the new Air Force One on Tuesday, traveling to North Dakota for the opening of the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library. “This will […]

  17. PBS NewsHour

    News Wrap: Trump takes first trip on Air Force One gifted by Qatar (opens PBS NewsHour)

    Published

    PBS NewsHour's feed description

    In our news wrap Wednesday, President Trump took his maiden voyage on the Air Force One donated by Qatar, negotiators from both the U.S. and Iran held more indirect talks in Qatar, a pair of masked climbers are in police custody after scaling the top of the Empire State Building's antenna and the Tr…

  18. CBS News

    Trump takes his first ride aboard a luxury new Air Force One gifted by Qataris (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    President Trump responded to new ethics questions on two fronts - the use of a luxury Boeing Jet, gifted by the Qatari government as a temporary Air Force One, and his newly disclosed billion-dollar crypto fortune. Nancy Cordes has more.

  19. Christian News Alerts

    Trump set to unveil Qatar-gifted Boeing 747 as Air Force One on trip to Theodore Roosevelt library (opens Christian News Alerts)

    Published

    Christian News Alerts's feed description

    President Donald Trump headed to the North Dakota Badlands on Wednesday to dedicate a new museum honoring Theodore Roosevelt, and to show off a refurbished Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar, marking its first flight as Air Force One.

  20. The Times of Israel

    ‘Excited’ Trump inaugurates Qatar-gifted Air Force One with first flight (opens The Times of Israel)

    Published

    The Times of Israel's feed description

    US president, who has long sought to replace current aging fleet, lauds aircraft, but critics say that beyond ethical concerns, plane may lack sufficient security for long flights

  21. Conservative Review

    'Nobody's ever seen anything like it': Trump touts new Air Force One after maiden voyage (opens Conservative Review)

    Published

    Conservative Review's feed description

    President Donald Trump made his maiden voyage on the new Air Force One just days before the slew of Fourth of July weekend festivities celebrating the nation's 250th birthday. The new Air Force One is a Boeing 747-8 luxury plane that was gifted to the United States by the Qatari government last year…

  22. Anchorage Daily News

    Retrofitted jet gifted by Qatar takes flight as Air Force One for Trump’s North Dakota trip (opens Anchorage Daily News)

    Published

    Anchorage Daily News's feed description

    The refurbished jet is painted in Trump’s preferred color scheme: a navy-blue belly with red and gold stripes.

  23. Christian Science Monitor

    A glance inside Trump’s ‘best plane’ on its first flight: Speed and luxury (opens Christian Science Monitor)

    Published

    Christian Science Monitor's feed description

    The first flight of the new Air Force One, controversially donated by Qatar, took President Donald Trump to North Dakota where he spoke about one of his predecessors, Teddy Roosevelt.

  24. The American Conservative

    Trump Makes First Flight in New Air Force One (opens The American Conservative)

    Published

    The American Conservative's feed description

    State of the Union: The controversial plane was donated to the U.S. by Qatar.

  25. Independent Journal Review

    See Trump’s Reaction To The New Air Force One (opens Independent Journal Review)

    Published

    Independent Journal Review's feed description

    President Donald Trump took his first flight aboard the new Air Force One on Tuesday, traveling to North Dakota for the opening of the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library. Before boarding at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, D.C.

Showing the first 25 of 26 headlines. ·

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.