| N7478D | |
|---|---|
.jpg) As A7-HBJ in 2015 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Boeing 747-8KB[a] |
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Owners |
|
| Registration |
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| History | |
| In service | 2012–present |
N7478D, previouslyA7-HJA,A7-HBJ, andP4-HBJ, is aBoeing 747-8KB manufactured byBoeing in itsBusiness Jet series. It is a large, long-rangewide-body airliner.
The aircraft was delivered toQatar Amiri Flight in April 2012 and used by theHouse of Thani. In June 2023, it was delivered to Global Jet Isle of Man. TheU.S. federal government entered negotiations to acquire the plane in 2025 for use as an interimAir Force One plane.
In April 2012,Boeing deliveredQatar Amiri Flight a747-8I fromEverett, Washington.[1] The aircraft was used by theHouse of Thani for flights to the United States and Europe[2] and was owned byHamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the formerprime minister of Qatar.[3]
In June 2023, the aircraft was delivered to Global Jet Isle of Man.[citation needed] The new owner of the plane was undisclosed;The New York Times reported in 2025 that it was privately owned and not used for charters.[4]
After U.S. presidentDonald Trump wasinaugurated in January 2025, he moved to directElon Musk to force Boeing to quickly manufacture replacements for the agingVC-25 series. In February, after special envoySteven Witkoff arranged for Qatar to send the plane to the US for Trump to see,[5] he toured the 747-8KB atPalm Beach International Airport; the plane returned toDoha,Qatar. At this point Qatar officials were reported as expecting the plane to be sold or leased to the US, not gifted.[5][6] According toThe New York Times, converting the 747-8KB to operate asAir Force One could take several years.[4] In May,The Wall Street Journal reported that theU.S. federal government had commissionedL3Harris[7] to modify the 747-8KB atSan Antonio International Airport,[8] though theAir Force had not acquired the plane by that time.[9]
That month,ABC News reported that Trump was set to announce the plane during his state visit to Qatar. Sources told ABC News that Attorney GeneralPam Bondi and White House counselDavid Warrington had said it would be "legally permissible" for the plane to be gifted on the condition that it will be transferred to theTrump's presidential library foundation before he leaves office.[10] Bondi allegedly wrote a legal memorandum declaring that acceptance of the gift was "legally permissible". On May 15, theFreedom of the Press Foundation submitted a request for the document under theFreedom of Information Act (FOIA) but was told that it would take more than 600 days to process the request. On July 28, the Freedom of the Press Foundation sued the government for release of the Bondi legal memorandum.[11][12]
The aircraft is believed to be one of the largest donations by a foreign government, according to theTimes, and may be used for post-presidency travel.[9][13] Concerns have been raised whether the acquisition of the plane may violate theForeign Emoluments Clause of theUnited States Constitution.[14] The transfer elicited criticism fromAmericanZionist conservative commentators, including Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin, and Laura Loomer.[15][16][17][18]The Guardian criticized it as an example of aquid pro quo.[19]The Boston Globe described the deal as an example of an increasingly transactional presidency, describing it as more direct than during his first term and showing that he was "willing to bend for anyone who gives him what he craves: praise, prestige, and a cut of the profits".[20]
On May 21, 2025, theSecretary of the Air Force,Troy Meink, announced that theSecretary of Defense,Pete Hegseth, had formally accepted the plane and instructed the Pentagon to adjust it to the operational needs for the presidential plane.[21][22] On May 28, theWashington Post reported that no deal had been agreed to because Qatar required amemorandum of understanding confirming that any transfer request had been initiated by the United States in order to ensure that Qatar had no legal liability.[23][6] Hegseth signed the memorandum of understanding on July 7.[24]
The cost of upgrading the plane was officially classified and hidden inside the over-budgetLGM-35 Sentinel nuclear missile modernization program, but was estimated to be at $934 million due to an unexplained transfer of funds from the missile project.[25] In July 2025,The New York Times reported that an unexplained transfer of $934 million from the missile project was transferred to retrofit the Qatari jet. The confidential nature of the total cost of upgrading the jet, and the fund transfer from the missile program, sparked controversy.[25] Around the same time, in the Summer of 2025, Secretary Meink told Members of Congress that the Air Force was diverting funds from the missile program to pay for the Qatari 747 / Air Force One work.[26]
On August 8, the aircraft was flown under a new registration, N7478D, toWaco, Texas.[12][27] On September 15, it was reported that modification work by the Air Force had begun. The aircraft's future role was described as "executive airlift support" rather than "presidential transport".[28]Aviation Week Intelligence Network reported thatL3 Harris was believed to be doing the conversion work.[26]
In late January 2026, the Air Force indicated that it was on track to deliver the "VC-25 bridge aircraft" for use by the summer of 2026, though various indications – including a letter from converter AMAC to the Federal Aviation Administration, requesting expedited validation – suggested that corners were being cut, and some work not done, to ready it in time.[26][29]
The aircraft interior was designed by Cabinet Alberto Pinto, featuring rugs fromTai Ping Carpets,sycamore andwacapou fixtures, and artwork fromAlexander Calder.[30] The plane includes two bathrooms, nine lavatories, a main and guest bedroom, and several lounges.[8][26] There are an office, "business class" seating, multiple galleys, and crew rest facilities. It has much audio-visual equipment, and has satellite connectivity. Modifications are expected to include special communications equipment appropriate for a military senior leader.[26]
It seats 89 people.[30]ABC News estimated that the aircraft may costUS$400 million,[10] thoughBloomberg News gave a lessened estimate betweenUS$75 toUS$100 million.[30] According toPolitico, modifying the aircraft forAir Force One would cost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars, including auditing the plane for foreign technology.[31]
Typically, when converting an airplane to Air Force One, various hardened defenses, encrypted communications, countermeasures are added, to enable a president to survive, in case of war or some other major catastrophe, and to direct forces while aloft.[32]
Air Force statements in late January 2026, indicated that the plane would be made ready for use by the summer of 2026. But various indications – including a letter from converter AMAC to the Federal Aviation Administration, requesting expedited validation – appeared to indicate that shortcuts were being taken, with some work not done, to ready it on time. The Air Force did not say what equipment was being installed, nor what was being omitted.[26][29]
For pro-Israel Republicans such as Ben Shapiro and Mark Levin, Trump's coziness with Qatar — which they see as a chief sponsor of Hamas — crosses a red line.
Prominent pro-Israel Jewish conservatives Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin, and Laura Loomer publicly rebuked Trump for accepting a $400 million plane from Qatar, which they described as a regime that funds Hamas. Levin wrote, "Israel is our ally. Stop pissing on them."
Laura Loomer, Ben Shapiro and Mark Levin — all known for their pro-Israel and Zionist stances — criticised Trump's plan to accept a private jet from Qatar, citing the country's support for Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Loomer has long identified as a staunch Zionist, advocating unwavering U.S. support for the Israeli government and equating anti-Israel rhetoric with antisemitism.
