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President Donald Trump unveils the new Air Force One, a converted Qatari jet
By By SEUNG MIN KIM and MANUEL BALCE CENETA at WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News
· June 19, 2026
· 4 min read
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AP) President Donald Trump on Friday showed off the new Air Force One, a formerly Qatari-owned jumbo jet that has been converted into the official U.S. presidential aircraft.The new aircraft eschews the Kennedy-era robins egg blue exterior of the old plane for a bolder l...
Key takeaway This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody has ever seen before, Trump said from inside the massive Joint Base Andrews hangar, as a couple hundred assembled Air Force personnel looked on.
Why this matters in The Detroit
For Detroiters, the unveiling of the new Air Force One may seem like a distant event, but it has implications for the local economy. As a major hub for the automotive and aerospace industries, southeast Michigan is home to numerous companies that supply parts and services to Boeing, the manufacturer of the new Air Force One jets scheduled for delivery in 2028. The delayed delivery of these jets may impact the production schedules and workforce of these local suppliers. Furthermore, the use of a converted Qatari jet as a temporary solution raises questions about the ethics of accepting gifts from foreign governments, a topic that may resonate with Detroit 's diverse community, which values transparency and accountability in government dealings. As the new Air Force One takes to the skies, Detroiters will be watching to see how the delayed delivery of the new jets affects local businesses and jobs.
About this story
Original reporting by WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News . The Detroit surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: local ·
Published: June 19, 2026 ·
Source: WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News ·
Reading time: 4 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AP) President Donald Trump on Friday showed off the new Air Force One, a formerly Qatari-owned jumbo jet that has been converted into the official U.S. presidential aircraft.The new aircraft eschews the Kennedy-era robins egg blue exterior of the old plane for a bolder l...
When was this published? This article was first published on June 19, 2026 by WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News and curated for The Detroit readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by By SEUNG MIN KIM and MANUEL BALCE CENETA at WXYZ Channel 7 (ABC Detroit) - News. To learn more about how The Detroit selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
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