This is amazing!
One of the most recognizable symbols of the American presidency could soon become a centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s planned presidential library in Miami.
Eric Trump says the family is considering putting a retired Air Force One on display inside the massive library complex — and the building could effectively be constructed around the historic Boeing 747.
The revelation also raises an interesting question about the newer presidential aircraft President Trump previously said could eventually go to his library after he leaves office.
For now, however, the Trump family appears to have another Air Force One in mind.
Eric Trump Reveals Air Force One Plan
Eric Trump told NBC News that displaying the newer Boeing 747-8 in Miami is “not the plan at the moment.”
Instead, he has indicated that one of the older Air Force One aircraft scheduled for retirement could become a major attraction at the Trump presidential library.
In a separate interview with the Palm Beach Post, Eric Trump discussed plans to incorporate a retired presidential jet into the base of the building.
The aircraft would bring decades of American history with it.
Air Force One has transported presidents across the United States and around the world for state visits, diplomatic meetings, national emergencies and other historic events.
For visitors to the future Trump library, seeing one of the enormous aircraft up close could provide a rare look at a piece of the American presidency most people have only seen on television.
Trump Library Could Be Built Around a Boeing 747
Placing a Boeing 747 inside a building is no simple project.
Eric Trump suggested that the Miami complex is essentially being designed around the aircraft.
Getting the enormous jet into position could require temporarily removing its wings or other components before putting everything back together inside the completed structure.
The Boeing 747 is among the most famous passenger aircraft ever built, and the presidential versions are even more distinctive because of their specialized mission.
While the public commonly refers to the presidential aircraft as Air Force One, that designation technically applies to any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the president.
The familiar Boeing 747s used for presidential travel have nevertheless become synonymous with the name.
Reagan Library Offers a Famous Example
The idea of displaying Air Force One at a presidential library is not unprecedented.
One of the most popular attractions at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, is the Boeing 707 that previously transported American presidents.
The aircraft is housed inside the library’s Air Force One Pavilion, where visitors can see the historic plane firsthand.
Eric Trump has pointed to the Reagan library while discussing plans for his father’s Miami complex.
A Boeing 747, however, would create an even more imposing display because of the aircraft’s massive dimensions.
The proposal could make the Trump presidential library a major destination for Americans interested in presidential history, aviation and the Trump administration.
There is one important qualification: the plan apparently is not final.
A White House official told The Hill that no final determination has been made about which aircraft will eventually be displayed.
What About Trump’s New Air Force One?
That uncertainty is particularly noteworthy because President Trump previously discussed a different plan.
Trump said last year that the newer Boeing 747-8 prepared for presidential service would go “directly to the library” after his presidency, with his library foundation assuming control after his term concludes in 2029.
The aircraft, originally provided by Qatar, has attracted substantial attention in Washington.
Valued at roughly $400 million, the Boeing 747-8 was intended to provide an interim presidential aircraft as the United States waits for Boeing to complete the next generation of Air Force One planes.
America’s existing presidential Boeing 747-200 aircraft have been operating for decades.
The long-delayed replacements are currently scheduled for completion in 2028.
Trump Gives Presidential Aircraft a New Look
The newer aircraft has another feature that immediately distinguishes it from the traditional Air Force One: its appearance.
It received a new color scheme featuring dark blue, a gold stripe and red accents.
The design represents a noticeable departure from the light-blue color scheme Americans have associated with presidential aircraft for generations.
A similar appearance has also been applied to another aircraft used for presidential transportation.
Trump flew aboard the Boeing 747-8 to North Dakota last month after publicly praising the aircraft.
The president described the plane as exceptionally luxurious and said extensive work had been performed to prepare it for presidential travel.
Questions Raised About Presidential Security
The aircraft has also faced scrutiny over security.
Questions resurfaced after President Trump traveled to Turkey aboard an older Air Force One rather than the newer Boeing 747-8 amid heightened tensions involving Iran.
Some lawmakers and national security officials have questioned whether the newer aircraft had received all the defensive and security modifications expected for presidential travel.
Those questions matter because Air Force One serves a much larger purpose than simply transporting the president.
A presidential aircraft must provide secure communications and other specialized capabilities that allow the commander in chief to continue performing presidential duties while traveling.
Protecting those capabilities is a significant national security responsibility.
Officials have continued working through questions surrounding the newer aircraft, while America’s existing presidential fleet remains available for presidential travel.
Air Force One Is Part of American History
Preserving presidential transportation has long been part of America’s presidential library tradition.
The Reagan library’s Air Force One is perhaps the most famous example, but other presidential museums preserve important vehicles associated with former commanders in chief.
Historic vehicles used by Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson and Woodrow Wilson are displayed at their respective presidential libraries.
The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in California also houses the Marine One helicopter associated with Nixon’s departure from the White House following his 1974 resignation.
These exhibits give Americans a chance to experience presidential history in a way photographs and documents cannot always provide.
Retired Air Force One Could Become Major Miami Attraction
The Trump family’s plan could take that tradition to another level.
A full-size Boeing 747 displayed inside the Trump presidential library would immediately become one of the complex’s most striking attractions.
For millions of Americans, Air Force One is more than an airplane.
The aircraft has served as a powerful and instantly recognizable symbol of the American presidency for decades.
It has carried Republican and Democratic presidents alike through some of the most consequential moments in recent American history.
For Americans who remember the Reagan, Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama and Trump administrations, seeing one of these aircraft up close could offer a unique trip through modern presidential history.
The exhibit could also appeal to veterans, aviation enthusiasts, families and tourists visiting South Florida.
Which Air Force One Will End Up at Trump’s Library?
That remains the big unanswered question.
President Trump previously suggested that the newer Boeing 747-8 could eventually go to his presidential library.
Eric Trump’s more recent comments indicate that the current plan may instead involve preserving one of the older Air Force One aircraft.
And because the White House says no final decision has been reached, those plans could change again.
What appears increasingly clear is that the Trump family wants a historic presidential aircraft to play a prominent role in the Miami project.
If that happens, one of America’s most recognizable airplanes could eventually trade presidential missions around the world for a permanent home in Florida — where future generations could walk inside and experience a piece of White House history for themselves.