Trump Scraps Plans for U.K. Flight on ‘Bridge’ Air Force One

President plans to use Qatari-donated jet as interim transport while awaiting two permanent aircraft from Boeing.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, July 08, 2026 at 04:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Known as the VC-25B ‘Bridge,’ Trump’s new, Qatari-donated jet is planned to be designated Air Force One until Boeing delivers replacements for older aircraft. [Credit: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

President Trump opted to fly an older Air Force One to the U.K. while sending the new "Bridge" aircraft—a Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8—ahead for U.S. service members to tour.
The "Bridge" aircraft is a temporary solution intended to fill the gap due to significant delays and cost overruns in the official VC-25B Air Force One replacement program.
The retrofitting of the "Bridge" jet faces intense scrutiny from lawmakers and experts regarding its rushed timeline to meet a July 4th deadline, potential cost overruns (estimated up to $1 billion), and lack of transparency, raising concerns about security and proper oversight.

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President Donald Trump’s decision to fly from Turkey to the U.K. on Wednesday in an older aircraft designated Air Force One has renewed scrutiny around the VC-25B “Bridge” aircraft—a modified Boeing 747-8 donated last year by the Qatari government—that is intended to replace it.

Trump in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday said he would send the Bridge Air Force One, which this month made its first flight with the president on board, to the U.K.’s Mildenhall Air Force Base (EGUN), so that U.S. service members could be among the first to tour it. Trump said that, “for old time’s sake,” he would fly an older aircraft from Turkey—where he attended a NATO summit this week—to the U.K.