US says goodbye to Air Force One as Trump’s Qatari jet awaits takeoff

White House officials have bid farewell to one of the two Boeing 747 aircraft that have served as Air Force One for more than three decades. The departure of the aging jet has fueled speculation that a controversial Boeing 747 gifted to President Donald Trump by Qatar may soon enter service.

Communications director Steven Cheung posted a farewell message on X, calling the jet a "good and faithful servant" on its "Last Ride." Chief of Protocol Monica Crowley also shared a photo, noting the plane's nearly 40 years of service, carrying every president since George H.W. Bush. She described the aircraft as "cosy" and her flights with Trump as "incredibly special."

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Well done, good and faithful servant. The Last Ride.

The two modified 747s, designated VC-25As, entered service in 1990. While the White House has not officially commented on the transition, NBC News reported that Trump is considering using the Qatari jet for its inaugural flight next month. The US Air Force confirmed the Qatari plane, known as the VC-25B Bridge aircraft, will soon join the active executive airlift fleet alongside the VC-25A and the smaller C-32.

The gift of the jet from Qatar, valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars, has raised significant ethical, constitutional, and security concerns. Questions linger about the appropriateness of such gifts to a president and the security implications of using an aircraft donated by a foreign power for presidential transport, despite the jets' reported sophisticated countermeasures.

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I was honoured to be aboard Air Force One last night on its final flight. For nearly 40 years, it carried every President since George H.W. Bush. It wasn’t the most modern plane, but it was cosy. And every flight with President Trump was incredibly special. Farewell and thank you.