The U.S. military announced Thursday that Air Force One will receive a patriotic makeover with a new red, white, gold, and dark blue color scheme championed by President Donald Trump.
This decision marks a significant change from the iconic baby blue and white livery that has adorned the presidential aircraft since the Kennedy administration more than 60 years ago.
The new paint scheme will be applied to two new Boeing 747-8 aircraft currently being modified to replace the aging Boeing 747-200 jets that currently serve as Air Force One. Additionally, a third 747 jet donated by Qatar last year will receive the same treatment.
The military released a rendering of the new design that matches a model frequently seen on display in the Oval Office during meetings with foreign leaders.
This represents a reversal of a 2023 decision by President Biden, who had rejected Trump’s proposed color scheme after the Air Force cited technical concerns. At that time, military officials said “darker colors, among other factors, on the underside of the VC-25B aircraft might contribute to temperatures exceeding the current qualification limits of a small number of components.”
The new livery will also be applied to four smaller C-32 aircraft (military versions of the Boeing 757) during scheduled maintenance. In fact, one C-32 with the new paint scheme has already been spotted taking off from Greenville, Texas, earlier this week and is expected to be delivered within a few months.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formally accepted the luxury Boeing 747 jet from Qatar last May. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told lawmakers last June that security modifications to this donated jet would cost less than $400 million, though specific details weren’t provided.
The Qatari jet could begin service as Air Force One as early as this summer, providing President Trump with his desired patriotic color scheme ahead of the delivery of the two new Boeing aircraft still under modification.
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