The iconic powder-blue Air Force One livery is again on borrowed time, with the US Air Force confirming that all new aircraft, an even some existing aircraft, will be repainted in President Donald Trump’s preferred red, white, and blue colors.
Air Force One Paint Job Is Changing To A Trump-Style Red, White, Blue, And Gold Livery
The U.S. Air Force says it is rolling out a new paint scheme across the executive airlift fleet, including the next-generation VC-25B aircraft that will serve as the future Air Force One (the one that Qatar “donated” to the President Trump). The new design swaps the familiar Kennedy-era light blue and white for a palette of red, white, dark blue, and gold, and it will apply not just to the presidential jets, but also to additional aircraft that support senior government travel.
If you have followed the Air Force One redesign saga at all, you know this has been heading in this direction for years. President Trump pushed for the new livery during his first time, saying, “Air Force One is going to be incredible. It’s going to be the top of the line, the top in the world. And it’s going to be red, white and blue, which I think is appropriate.”
During the Biden Administration, plans to update the livery from the Jacqueline Kennedy-designed theme were scrapped. With Trump back in the White House, the new paint job is back in the plans and now confirmed by the US Air Force:
“The Air Force is implementing a new paint scheme requirement (red, white, gold and dark blue) for VC-25B as well as the additional executive airlift fleet.”
Even Some Existing Aircraft Will Be Painted
While the iconic George H.W. Bush-era modified 747-200 aircraft that currently serve as Air Force One when the President is onboard will not be repainted, some of the existing jets in the fleet, including the modified 757 (Boeing C-32A) used to transport Vice President JD Vance and other top administration officials have already gone into the shop for a repaint and emerged with Trump’s livery, which resembles his own executive 757 jet.
As an aside, the US Air Force under intense pressure from Trump, has moved up the timeline for his ex-Qatari 747-8 to enter service and we may see it take the skies as Air Force One as early as this summer. Mark that as developing.
I’ve written about this issue before and my viewpoint is:
- I prefer the old to the new, but don’t dislike the new and realize that is a personal preference
- Elections have consequences, including the livery of presidential jets and Trump is free to push for his preferred color scheme
- Even so, it is a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money to repaint existing jets…painting future jets is one thing, but repainting others is unacceptable
- There are some concerns that the darker livery absorbs heat in an adverse way and I don’t think that issue has been formally resolved
> Read More:
- Biden Rejects Trump’s Air Force One Paint Scheme
- Trump Moves To Bypass Boeing With New Air Force One Plan
CONCLUSION
Air Force One is getting a new look, and it will be hard to miss: red, white, dark blue, and gold, extended beyond the presidential jets to a broader executive airlift fleet. The politics are obvious, even if the Air Force frames this as standardization and modernization.
I may prefer the old to the new, but the only controversy in my mind is that existing aircraft should not be re-painted, which represents a huge waste of taxpayer dollars.
image: Boeing (though Trump’s latest design will see the American flag on the tail stylized as if waving in the wind)
Add it to the list of things that’ll have to be un-done.
The flag on the tail should be upside down.
That was exactly my thought!
The original Trump design had a rectangular flag but the most recent version has a waving flag.the original fits better.
Likewise, the Kennedy design has significant variations. The 757 blue upswing near the cockpit is angular but the 747-200 is a curve. The 747-200 blue shouldn’t go to the hump but should go up between the nose and the bottom edge of the cockpit windows.
UPSIDE down flag blue at the bottom is the flag code signal of distress.
The waving flag strikes me as particularly tacky, reminding me of defunct North American Airlines.
Lol! Everything about this man is tacky. He wears his insecurities on his sleeve. Calling him and moronic followers deplorable is a compliment.
Only in America!!!
Um why?
Or at half mast.
I wonder how many mouths could be fed for the price of painting airplanes?
This will be scrubbed in 2029 along with all the rest of the tacky, gaudy visual garbage Trump is installing. Short-term problem.
Among his MANY business failures was buying one of the NE air shuttles. Aside from his usual reverse Midas touch (everything HE touches turns to crap) he had to be convinced (at great length because he’s such an imbecile) that installing (ugly tacky gaudy) gold plating all over the planes would adversely affect weight and balance. Same concept applies to repainting a large airplane, if just “painted over” the mere weight of pain can affect weight and balance.
(“AI Overview: The paint on a Boeing 747 typically weighs between 500 kg and 544 kg (roughly 1,100 to 1,200 pounds), covering the aircraft with about 120 to 650 gallons of material. This paint can add the weight equivalent of 6-8 passengers.”)(Unfortunately with obesity being the #1 public health problem in the USA, it’s probably more like 4-5 pax.)
(“AI Overview: In 1989, Donald Trump purchased the Eastern Air Lines Shuttle for $365 million, renaming it the Trump Shuttle. The airline serviced the Northeast corridor between New York (LaGuardia), Boston, and Washington D.C. with a fleet of Boeing 727s. It operated as a luxury service until 1992, when it was taken over by lenders and became the USAir Shuttle.
Acquisition & Branding: Trump purchased the established, profitable Eastern Air Lines shuttle in 1989 to turn it into a high-end, premium airline.
Luxury Features: The planes were refurbished with leather seats, chrome seatbelts, and maple-wood finishes.
Short Duration: The venture was short-lived, with the airline losing over $128 million in 18 months due to high debt, aging planes, and competition.
Sale: In 1991, as part of a deal to relieve his personal liability on loans, Trump ceded control to lenders, and it was eventually sold to USAir in April 1992.”)
Just trump being on the plane instead of Biden added the equivalent of 2 extra passengers
Identical to TWA..
I’m so glad we have cheaper healthcare and our grocery prices are way down so he can spend some money we paid in tariffs to redecorate his fleet of planes.
The Dow is over 50,000 right now! That’s what we should be talking about!
If your only measure of the well being of the US is the Dow, I feel sad for you. Plus, the SP500 is the better indicator of market strength.
This represents a huge amount of waste, especially as any future admin will be obliged to repaint the jets again in an effort to distance themselves from this admin, especially with aircraft that represent the country internationally.
Sad and wasteful.
If planes need repainting, repaint. If not, save the money. Nothing should be done to the current “AF1s” that can safely be deferred.
How much tax payer’s money is Criminal Trump wasting on his latest vanity project?
All US citizens must be delighted at this change initiated by the spoilt toddler.
Mr. Trump is not about saving taxpayer dollars; in fact, he’s the guy suing the government for over $10 billion which he alone gets. Just in case the point is missed, this is taxpayer dollars that our president is seeking for person gain. Repainting a few jets is peanuts when added to the stunning level of graft and corruption our president has blatantly and without shame perpetrated against the American people. His supporters (among others) will loose their Medicaid and SNAP benefits while he pockets the nation’s wealth and continues to degrade any semblance of respect for his oath of office or commitment to his MAGA base. Indeed, elections have consequences.
Good. I think this should have been the case all along. Red, white, and blue symbolizes the USA no matter the President in office!
Let the haters hate. The rest of us know class. And this is very classy. Great job Mr Trump on the ground or in the air. America wins. Thank you.