It’s been the norm since the John F. Kennedy administration — the light blue and white paint design on Air Force One and other jets that fly around top officials. It’s getting a change, though, one that President Donald Trump has been advocating for since 2018, and its new colors will be those of America’s flag: red, white, and blue. It will also feature a gold stripe.
The fleet of planes used to transport the commander-in-chief, vice president, first lady and other top White House officials will be painted in Trump’s preferred red, gold and blue color scheme — the same colors that decorate his private jet known as “Trump Force One.”
— Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) February 18, 2026
An Air… pic.twitter.com/f3SVQGuTzq
A number of aircraft will get the makeover:
Both the luxury jet donated by Qatar and new VC-25B Boeing jets will feature the new colors, an Air Force spokesperson told NewsNation. The Air Force One title is given to any aircraft carrying the president.
Four smaller C-32 aircraft — which are referred to as Air Force Two when the vice president is aboard — are also set to receive new paint jobs, per NewsNation. Those jets are also used by the first lady and Cabinet secretaries when they travel.
One C-32 has already been painted, and the Air Force says it’s expected to be delivered in the next few months.
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Trump had advocated for the change since his first term, but the Grinch Joe Biden nixed it.
For more than six decades, the familiar robin’s egg blue and white exterior has served as a global symbol of the American presidency. The color scheme dates back to the early 1960s, when it was introduced during President John F. Kennedy’s administration and became one of the most recognizable aviation designs in the world.
During his first term, Trump unveiled a model aircraft reflecting his preferred red, white and blue palette. That version of the design was later canceled for the VC-25B program during the Biden administration.
"We're painting it red, white, and blue like the American flag, which is incredible," Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity in an interview in 2025. He also wouldn't mind a bigger plane:
"You see Saudi Arabia and you see UAE and you see Qatar and they have these brand new Boeing 747s — and you see ours next to it," @POTUS says of the 40-year-old Air Force One plane.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 14, 2025
"We're the United States of America. I believe we should have the most impressive plane." 🇺🇸🔥 pic.twitter.com/aQBHz2dibk
The story behind the robin’s egg blue and white takes us into the past: The Air Force had planned for a red and gold paint scheme, but JFK and then-First Lady Jackie didn’t think it looked refined enough. They hired renowned industrial designer Raymond Loewy, who had come up with the Coca-Cola bottle design, and he and Jackie sat on the floor with crayons, scissors, and paper to brainstorm.
What they came up with is known around the world, and all presidents from JFK through Trump 2.0 have used it. That’s soon to change, and it won’t be long before the red, white, and blue — with a little gold thrown in for good measure — will fly all over the world.
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