A New Air Force One, via Qatar, Nears Its First Presidential Flight

President Trump showed off the new red, white and blue Boeing 747, a gift from Qatar that prompted a storm of criticism from lawmakers, before a flyover on July 4. President Trump unveiled on Friday the red, white and blue 747 Boeing jetliner donated by the government of Qatar that will serve as the new Air Force One, closing the chapter on the aircraft that had carried presidents for more than three decades. The donated luxury jet, which prompted scrutiny from lawmakers, replaces two baby-blue planes that served as the presidential planes since 1990 and have been suffering from maintenance problems. "This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody's ever seen before," Mr. Trump said during the announcement in a Joint Base Andrews hangar that the president said had to be constructed to house the new plane, which is larger than its predecessors. "These are the colors: red, white and blue," Mr. Trump said. "And we like the baby blue, but it was time for a change, and this is the sleekest line." Mr. Trump argued that the new plane, painted with the words "United States of America," was needed after he noticed that other nations had planes that looked better than Air Force One. The revamped plane is the latest example of Mr. Trump's efforts to reshape signature pieces of the presidency or Washington -- such as the Oval Office, the White House ballroom or the Reflecting Pool -- in an image tailored to his liking. Mr. Trump said he expected the new Air Force One to lead a flyover of Washington on July 4, trailed by F-22 and F-35 military aircraft.