Retrofitting Trump’s Qatari Boeing Jet for Air Force One Impossible Before 2028

Donald Trump is expected to accept a Boeing 747-8 jet valued at around $400 million as a gift from Qatar's royal family, but retrofitting the plane to meet Air Force One standards will require billions of dollars and extensive renovations that cannot be completed before 2028. The jet, currently held in San Antonio, Texas, shares a base model with two Boeing VC-25B planes, which are being upgraded to stringent military specifications and are not expected to be finished until 2027. The modifications needed include secure communications, electromagnetic shielding, defensive countermeasures, and in-flight refueling capability, which would likely require dismantling the aircraft. A specialist contractor has reportedly been appointed to undertake these upgrades, but the process remains lengthy and costly. Despite Trump's praise of the gift, officials and lawmakers have raised legal and ethical concerns, emphasizing that the plane is not truly a free gift due to the substantial expense of necessary modifications. The current Air Force One replacements are being built with state-of-the-art military features, underscoring the complexity of converting the Qatari jet for presidential use.