Trump to Debut New Air Force One on North Dakota Trip
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
WASHINGTON, July 1 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) - U.S. President Donald Trump travels to North Dakota on Wednesday to dedicate a museum honoring former President Theodore Roosevelt, as he promotes a message of American greatness ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.
The visit comes as Trump has embraced celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, using them to highlight his leadership and vision for the country ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The trip to Medora in western North Dakota is expected to mark the debut of a refurbished Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar that will serve as Air Force One.
The aircraft features a red, white, dark blue and gold paint scheme selected by Trump.
The plane has drawn scrutiny over the cost and pace of renovations, as well as the acceptance of a luxury jumbo jet from a foreign country. Trump has dismissed criticism of the arrangement, while the Air Force has said the aircraft meets presidential standards.
Trump’s focus on patriotic events marking the country’s semiquincentennial comes as Americans remain divided over the Republican president, who has been the country’s dominant political figure for a decade.
The celebrations have become central to his messaging in an election year shaped by voter concern over the cost of living and the Iran war.
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opens in North Dakota on Saturday. The 96,000-square-foot facility overlooks a national park named for Roosevelt, who spent formative years in the nearby Badlands.
Trump has praised Roosevelt, who served as president from 1901 to 1909 and is remembered as a conservationist and as a leader who expanded the United States’ reach as the country emerged as a global power.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Roosevelt believed America’s greatest work was still ahead and that Trump shared that conviction in American greatness.
As part of the week’s events, Trump plans to visit Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on Friday. He is also expected to deliver a campaign-style speech on Saturday during a July 4 celebration in Washington that will include a 35-minute fireworks display over the Potomac River.
