Military Aviation

Trump Flies Aboard The New Air Force One For The First Time

Published on: July 1, 2026 at 7:46 PM CEST
David Cenciotti David Cenciotti
VC-25B
The VC-25B takes off from Andrews AFB on Jul. 1, 2026. (Image credit: screenshot via X)

On its maiden flight as Air Force One, the new VC-25B “Bridge” aircraft brought President Donald Trump to North Dakota.

On Jul. 1, the U.S. Air Force’s VC-25B Bridge aircraft, a rapidly converted 747-8 gifted by Qatar, made its first flight as “Air Force One,” to take Trump and his staff to Bismarck Municipal airport in North Dakota, for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and other 250th anniversary of the United States celebrations.

Images of the inaugural flight were shared online by members of the Presidential staff who had the chance to board the VC-25B for the flight from Joint Base Andrews.

Interestingly, one of the U.S. Air Force’s two VC-25As, 92-9000, served as backup aircraft for the trip. This matches with our previous report according to which the aircraft flew its final planned Presidential sortie on Jun. 18. As we explained, White House staffers posted  tributes to the aircraft on social media after it flew President Donald Trump home from the G7 Summit in France and we explained that: “While the U.S. Air Force has said the VC-25A type will remain in service for the foreseeable future to support Presidential Airlift Group and other VIP operations, these tributes likely indicate that the primary VC-25A will soon be 82-8000 – returning to service shortly after an overhaul and upgrade period – with 92-9000 moved to a backup role.

The serial for the VC-25B Bridge in U.S. Air Force service will be 25-3300. The aircraft originally carried the Qatari registrations A7-HJA, then A7-HJB. After the Qatar Amiri Flight put the jet into storage, it was re-registered as P4-HBJ. Then, after being transferred to the U.S. it was given the U.S. civilian registration N7478D. 

The aircraft wears a somewhat controversial new paint scheme that is a modified version of the one chosen by President Trump for the VC-25B in his first term. This decision was reversed by the Biden administration in favor of an updated variant of the iconic light blue and white livery worn by the current VC-25As, then reversed again by the current Trump administration.

Speaking at the aircraft’s unveiling, President Trump confirmed plans to include the jet in the July 4 flyover over Washington, D.C., alongside F-22 Raptors, F-35 Lightning IIs and other military aircraft. On the other hand, the B-21 Raider will not take part in the flyover, despite some social media posts by Northrop Grumman appearing to suggest that the sixth-generation bomber might make a public appearance over the nation’s capital.

VC-25B Bridge aircraft

The VC-25B Bridge aircraft arrived at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, in early June 2026, following a secretive nighttime flight to avoid unveiling the new livery before the official ceremony. The aircraft was officially unveiled on June 19.

After that, the VC-25B Bridge started a series of certification flights ahead of its official entry into service with the 89th Airlift Wing’s Presidential Airlift Group. The controversial aircraft, a modified 747-8i donated by Qatar, underwent a rapid conversion process with minimal changes in order to act as a “bridge” until the fully-fledged VC-25Bs enter service.

Critics highlighted the possible security risks of using an aircraft transferred by another nation to fly the U.S. President. However, the Air Force explained that “elite specialists from multiple government agencies developed advanced protocols to detect and-if necessary-neutralize potential technical hazards on previously owned aircraft.”

“The safety and security of the commander in chief is our highest priority,” said Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink. “From the beginning, we meticulously evaluated every requirement to accelerate delivery while maintaining the high standards expected of the presidential mission. This effort proves that the U.S. Air Force can move fast without sacrificing quality, security, or reliability.”

The fielding of the VC-25B Bridge aircraft could be considered a “forced decision,” as the Air Force needed options to avoid capability gaps in the presidential transport mission. In fact, the service explains that an interim capability became an absolute imperative as the Boeing VC-25B deliveries delayed past the initial 2024 target and VC-25A heavy maintenance cycles are extending.

Despite the unusually public debate surrounding the aircraft, details about its conversion remain scarce. The Air Force has so far declined to discuss the specific modifications being made or whether any requirements were adjusted to accelerate delivery.

The service however confirmed that the jet has been fitted with at least a certain level of advanced communications and self-defense capabilities, though if these are sufficient to allow the aircraft to be used for overseas travel remains to be seen. Unconfirmed rumors mentioned the aircraft might be limited to flights within the U.S.

Typically, U.S. Air Force aircraft designated to serve as Air Force One receive extensive upgrades, including hardened defenses, secure and redundant communications systems, and survivability enhancements intended to support presidential command and control during a national emergency or nuclear conflict.

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By David Cenciotti
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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.
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