U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday made his first official trip aboard a Boeing 747-8 aircraft gifted by Qatar, marking the aircraft's debut as the country's interim Air Force One. The luxury jet, estimated to be worth around $400 million, carried Trump from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to North Dakota, where he attended the dedication of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

The aircraft was presented to the United States by the Qatari government and has undergone extensive modifications to meet presidential transportation requirements. While it has been upgraded with secure communications and other protective features, officials say it does not yet include all the advanced defensive systems installed on the current Air Force One fleet. As a result, it is expected to be used primarily for domestic travel until additional work is completed.

Before boarding the aircraft, Trump praised the plane, calling it one of the finest aircraft ever built. The jet also features a redesigned exterior with a dark blue, red and gold livery, replacing the iconic light-blue paint scheme that has identified Air Force One for decades. The Boeing 747-8 will serve as a temporary presidential aircraft while Boeing continues work on the next-generation Air Force One fleet, a project that has faced years of delays and rising costs. The existing VC-25A aircraft currently used by the president have been in service since the early 1990s and are nearing the end of their operational life.

The introduction of the Qatar-donated aircraft has sparked political and ethical debate in Washington. Critics have questioned whether accepting such a valuable gift from a foreign government creates conflicts of interest and have also raised concerns over the cost of retrofitting the aircraft for presidential use. Some lawmakers argue that the modifications could significantly increase the overall expense beyond the aircraft's estimated value.

The White House has defended the decision, maintaining that the transfer complied with legal requirements and that the aircraft offers a practical solution while the delayed replacement Air Force One program is completed. Administration officials have also said the aircraft underwent thorough security inspections and upgrades before entering service.

Trump's maiden flight aboard the refurbished Boeing 747-8 marks a significant moment in the modernization of the presidential fleet. However, the aircraft is likely to remain under public and congressional scrutiny as debates continue over its cost, security features and the diplomatic implications of accepting one of the most valuable gifts ever received by the U.S. government from a foreign nation.