White House officials gathered on Thursday to honor a long-serving aircraft that has transported American presidents across the globe for 35 years. The ceremony marked the end of an era as the Trump administration gears up to replace the aging Boeing 747-200B with a newer model donated by Qatar.
The highly customized, heavily fortified plane, known as Air Force One when carrying the president, has been a symbol of American power. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino shared images of the jet on social media, with Cheung writing, “Well done, good and faithful servant. The Last Ride.”
The transition comes after the Air Force announced last month that the Qatari-donated Boeing 747 had completed modifications and flight testing.
The Presidential Airlift Group will now select the most suitable aircraft for each presidential mission based on operational needs, as reported by The Washington Post. A group spokesperson stated, “We coordinated closely with appropriate government entities to ensure all functional mission requirements were strictly met for transporting the President.”