U.S. President Donald Trump disembarks the new Air Force One, a plane gifted by the Qatari government, as he arrives at Bismarck Municipal Airport in Bismarck, North Dakota, U.S., July 1, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
President Donald Trump faced widespread ridicule following his inaugural flight aboard a $400 million Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar's royal family.
Trump flew to North Dakota aboard the controversial jet Wednesday for the dedication of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.
The luxurious aircraft features marble bathrooms, gold fixtures, flat-recline leather seats, four lounges, and a grand staircase, with only 89 seats in a fuselage designed for hundreds.
Critics highlighted, following the gift, Qatar received a $1.9 billion U.S. arms sale approval and an unprecedented security guarantee of American military protection, reported AXIOS.
Responding to White House Communications Director Steven Cheung's maiden-voyage boast, California Governor Gavin Newsom's (D-CA) office joked, "Air Fraud One."
National security journalist Marcy Wheeler wrote, "'Flying Bribery Palace.'"
"These people are BRAGGING about their corruption," she added, "They're BRAGGING that they're stealing from taxpayers."
Other jabs include "Air Bribe One" and "Bribe Force One."
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