The U.S. Air Force has confirmed that the VC-25B “Bridge” aircraft is now wearing its new (and controversial) red, white, and blue livery as it undergoes final preparations for its official delivery.
Aviation photographer Travis Ghormley shared the first picture of the modified Boeing 747-8i with its new paint scheme yesterday. It was taken the day before in Waco, Texas. The aircraft had been undergoing modification and flight testing at L3Harris’ facility in Greenville, also in Texas, as part of the conversion into its new role, since at least April, before subsequently moving to Waco to be painted. The jet, gifted to the Trump administration by the government of Qatar last year, is set to serve as an interim Air Force One aircraft ahead of the much-delayed arrival of two fully outfitted VC-25Bs from Boeing.
The VC-25B Bridge aircraft seen unpainted sometime circa May 1. Courtesy photo via the USAF
“The VC-25B Bridge aircraft has been painted and is going through final modifications,” an Air Force spokesperson told TWZ today when asked for more information about the aircraft’s current status. “I don’t have any additional details I can provide on delivery dates at this time.”
A press release the Air Force put out on May 1 said that the “VC-25B Bridge aircraft has officially completed modification and flight testing” and was “being painted.” We have confirmed that the completed modifications referred to here were on the contractor side, but the U.S. government still has additional modifications to make to the jet.
Ghormley’s picture does clearly show the jet wearing the same red, white, and blue scheme that has already been appearing on various Air Force and other U.S. government VVIP jets. The livery also includes a large American flag, depicted blowing in the wind, painted on both sides of the tail and “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” written on both sides of the fuselage. The paint job is virtually identical to what President Donald Trump had previously chosen for the future VC-25B Air Force Ones during his first term. President Joe Biden had previously reversed that decision, bringing back plans to paint the VC-25Bs in the iconic scheme that dates back to President John F. Kennedy’s administration.
A rendering of a future VC-25B with the livery President Trump had originally selected. BoeingA rendering of a future VC-25B wearing the Kennedy-era scheme. USAF A rendering of a future VC-25B Air Force one jet. USAF
The Bridge aircraft’s current location is also unclear. Video posted on social media yesterday, seen below, purported to be of the jet departing for its new home at Andrews Air Force Base just outside of Washington, D.C. This is where the two current VC-25A Air Force One jets, as well as a host of other Air Force VVIP aircraft, are based.
Full blown operation to get this thing out without us seeing. Fueled, loaded crew, and preflighted in the hangar. Flipped CRANE01 to face me at the south end and beam me with landing lights. Entire airport blacked out, crew and grounds crew all wearing NOD’s.
Online flight tracking data does show that another U.S. military Boeing 747-8i flew from Waco, Texas, to Andrews on June 7, using the callsign Crane 01. However, this callsign has been associated with an ex-Lufthansa 747 the Air Force has also acquired for use as a trainer in support of future Air Force One operations. This aircraft, which may now carry the serial number 25-3200, has been tracked multiple times flying between facilities in Texas and Andrews in recent months. There does not appear to be tracking data for the VC-25B Bridge jet, which may also now have the serial number 25-3300, but it could have made the trip without broadcasting on ADS-B.
Past reports have indicated that the Bridge aircraft could make its public debut on July 4, which this year is also wrapped up in additional celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. President Trump’s birthday (June 14) is also this weekend.
“L3Harris, known for its executive communications systems and services, was selected to undertake a complex modification of the bridge aircraft. L3Harris not only delivers secure, reliable and resilient communications for VC-25A and the executive airlift fleet but has extensive experience with self-protection and customization of VIP aircraft,” the Air Force wrote in the May 1 press release. “The accelerated timeline was further made possible by a mission-focused partnership with Boeing, who provided the necessary engineering data to support the required structural modifications.”
“Additionally, elite specialists from multiple government agencies developed advanced protocols to detect and-if necessary-neutralize potential technical hazards on previously owned aircraft,” it added. “Their rigorous approach on the Bridge aircraft has literally ‘written the book’ and set the benchmark for integrating used airframes into the secure military inventory.”
Another picture of the unpainted VC-25B Bridge aircraft, seen after arriving in Waco, Texas. Courtesy Photo via USAF
“Safety and security were at the forefront of this program. We deliberately minimized interior aesthetic modifications to focus on modifications for safety, security and mission execution. We assessed which requirements were necessary for an interim capability. We had greater flexibility in developing our mission requirements,” the Air Force also told TWZ directly at that time. “After safety and security, we focused on the mission communications systems.”
“We have made deliberate decisions such as the reduction of the number of airstairs, less chiller space, and exclusion of the Golden Eagle mission [to fly the remains of former presidents] to minimize structural modifications, while prioritizing modifications focused on safety, security and secure communications,” the service added.
Getting a new Air Force One aircraft of some kind into service on an accelerated timetable has long appeared to be a major goal for President Trump. The fully-equipped VC-25Bs from Boeing are years behind schedule. Last year, the Air Force announced that there had been some improvement on that front, but that it still did not expect to have the first of the two jets in hand until mid-2028, which would be just months before Trump is set to leave office.
What we do know for sure is that the VC-25B Bridge aircraft is now wearing Trump’s preferred red, white, and blue paint scheme ahead of its official rollout later this summer.
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There was a time when Donald Trump’s presence at the world’s most famous arena wasn’t just welcome, it was trumpeted. In that not-so-distant past, Trump, who was born in Queens, was a part of Manhattan’s fabric, a New Yorker through and through. “Donald! Donald!” the fans called as he rounded the glass partition of the hockey rink where the New York Rangers played. It was 1999, Wayne Gretzky’s last season. “The Apprentice” was five years away, the White House not even a glint in Trump’s eye. When he shook hands and nodded knowingly to the Madison Square Garden masses, they felt happy that their rich and famous neighbor acknowledged them.
But Monday night, as President Donald Trump smiled broadly and saluted while “The Star-Spangled Banner” blared and his image was shown to masses on the big screen for almost eight seconds before Game 3 of the NBA Finals?
Heckling, jeering from every part of the arena was focused like a beam of white-hot angry light into New York Knicks owner James Dolan’s luxury suite, where Trump stood.
Heckling, jeering from every part of the arena was focused like a beam of white-hot angry light into New York Knicks owner James Dolan’s luxury suite, where Trump stood. Secret Service agents, who had commandeered the boxes on each side of the owner’s box, pressed their fingers to their earpieces, as if they were trying to hear above the noisy and disrespectful din.
The intensity of the Garden’s displeasure did not wane even when Trump’s granddaughter Kai was shown behind him. The president smiled and saluted throughout his cameo, as if he were impervious to the crowd that likely wished he had picked some other Garden party to crash.
Joanne Cadden, 53, a fan dating back to the days of Patrick Ewing and the contending teams of the 1990s, told The Guardian of London, “He could have picked any other day. This night is for the fans. You’re making people go away from the Garden. This wasn’t the time.”
Cadden gestured toward the 10-foot security perimeter surrounding the arena, adding, “This looks like prison.”
This was all predictable, of course, the moment Trump decided to become the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game. Trump’s appearance felt a good deal like the disruption caused by an overzealous teenage San Antonio Spurs fan who darted onto the court at the Frost Bank Center during Game 2 in an attempt to snap a selfie with 7-foot-4 Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. In Monday night’s case, an emotionally stilted 79-year-old president essentially sought a selfie with 19,812 basketball fans, most of whom would have put rabbit ears behind his head if they could get close.
Some homecoming for the Donald, no?
Before Monday, it had been 27 years since the Knicks had hosted a Finals game. They went into the night leading the Spurs 2-0 in the best-of-seven series. The only wet blanket on the euphoria was Trump accepting the invitation of his longtime friend and donor, Dolan. And it was, indeed, a wet blanket. Trump’s attendance forced the closure of streets and the cancellation of viewing parties outside the arena, and his attendance forced fans to come to the game two hours early for presidential-level security protocols.
Unlike those carefree days of the 1990s when a local real estate mogul strolled in through the freight elevator with the rest of the VIPs to watch a home team at MSG, Trump on Monday was the show. He arrived just before 7:20 p.m. ET on Marine One after a a short flight from his New Jersey golf club.
Some homecoming for the Donald, no?
Taking the Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive from Wall Street up to the Garden, Trump’s motorcade passed several Knicks watch parties. According to The Athletic, “Reporters traveling with Trump counted two middle fingers and one thumbs down, signs that said ‘Nobody wants you here,’ ‘Trump must go,’ and ‘Impeach. Convict. Remove.’”
By the time Trump made it to Dolan’s suite near midcourt, halfway up the stands, he took his seat in a box surrounded by bulletproof glass, constructed for his visit. When he finally appeared on the jumbotron, the booing directed at him dwarfed the booing for the visiting Spurs. According to a reporter I spoke with, most of the heckling can’t be printed in a family publication.
The transformation was now complete. The onetime celebrity, who long ago could calmly take a courtside seat next to Spike Lee and other iconic Knick season ticket holders, was now getting a pariah’s treatment. To many New Yorkers he’s the local boy who made no-good.
The whole distraction wasn’t lost on many in the crowd or outside the Garden. The Knicks had not lost a game in 46 days, a preposterous statistic during a playoff run that featured a 13-game win streak. It was clear before the game tipped off that if the Knicks didn’t win Game 3, if they didn’t have a happy ending on this majestic night in the middle of Manhattan, then there would be blame for the president of the United States, who just had to show up and play the Knicks’ bad-luck charm.
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Portés par Victor Wembanyama, auteur d'un match plein, les San Antonio Spurs se sont relancés avec un succès 115-111 lundi sur le parquet des New York Knicks, qui ne mènent plus que 2-1 en finale NBA. Juste avant le coup d'envoi du match, le président Donald Trump, présent, a été bruyamment hué par le public du Madison Square Garden.
Donald Trump was loudly booed when he was shown on the video screens at Madison Square Garden on Monday night before Game 3 of the NBA finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks.
Trump was shown on the jumbotron while the Star-Spangled Banner was being sung before the game, and jeers and boos broke out around the arena. The president was shown for a little over eight seconds and held a salute the whole time with a smile on his face. A few seconds later, the video board showed Knicks players in line and the boos turned to cheers.
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