Trump debuts new Air Force One on Fourth of July trip
President Donald Trump is heading to North Dakota to open a museum honoring Theodore Roosevelt, commemorating the Republican president’s legacy while delivering a message of America’s greatness ahead of the July 4 holiday.
The visit comes as Trump embraces celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of America’s independence and uses them to highlight his leadership and vision for the country ahead of midterm elections in November.
The trip to Medora in western North Dakota marked the debut of a refurbished Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar that will serve as Air Force One, sporting the red, white, dark blue and gold paint scheme chosen by Trump.
The aircraft has come under scrutiny due to the cost and rapid pace of the renovation, as well as the unusual acceptance of a luxury jumbo jet from a foreign country. Trump rejected criticism of the regulation and the Air Force said the plane met presidential standards.
Before boarding the inaugural plane on Wednesday, Trump told reporters that Qatar “has been very nice to us” and that the Qatari leader who contributed to the plane was “very nice.”
When asked about the cost to taxpayers, Trump said the cost of the gifted plane was “very little compared to what it would have cost if we had done it differently.”
“We’re very proud of it, the country is very proud of it,” Trump said, adding that the old Air Force One “doesn’t look right for our country.”
“They made it fit for a president, which means security and all the different bells and whistles they use are very complicated things,” Trump said.
Trump’s emphasis on patriotic events celebrating the country’s “sixcentennial” comes at a time when Americans remain sharply divided over the Republican president who has been the nation’s dominant political figure for a decade.
Celebrations were at the center of his messages in an election year dominated by voters’ concerns about the cost of living and the Iran war.
Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opens Saturday in North Dakota. Carved from local soil, the 8,920-square-foot facility overlooks a national park named after Roosevelt for his formative years in the nearby Badlands.
Trump plans to visit Mount Rushmore, Roosevelt’s mountain statue in South Dakota and former Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln on Friday as part of the week of events.
He is also expected to give a campaign-style speech Saturday in Washington as part of a Fourth of July celebration that will include a 35-minute fireworks display over the Potomac River.
