As we wrote Wednesday, President Donald Trump ditched the brand new $400 million Qatari-gifted Air Force One as he departed the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, and instead rode on the older AF1, the familiar Boeing 747‑200B (VC‑25A), which sports the Kennedy-era robin’s‑egg blue and white color scheme.
The new plane, painted a bold red, white, dark blue, and gold, flew to RAF Mildenhall in England without him. The official line was that the president wanted to show off the shiny new jet to American troops stationed there, but there were also numerous reports that the move was made due to safety concerns since the president said he’s “number one on the kill list for Iran” and we were in the midst of bombing the Islamic Republic.
Trump turned back to the new plane in England for his return to D.C.
Meanwhile, Trump Force One, his private Boeing 757-200, landed Thursday at a very fitting airfield: the President Donald J. Trump International Airport near his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Florida. In fact, it was the first flight to come down since the name change.
Palm Beach International is now President Donald J. Trump International Airport, and Trump Force One gets the first landing.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 9, 2026
Legendary. pic.twitter.com/BIgLMvG02h
MORE: '#1 on the Kill List' — Is That Why Trump Ditched the Brand-New $400M AF1 for NATO Departure?
Signs of Victory: I-95 Welcomes President Donald Trump Int'l Airport
I know full well how crazy this will drive Never Trumpers who have to use the facility, because I routinely have to drive on the “President Barack H. Obama Highway,” a section of California’s Route 134 named in the former president's honor. You can probably guess how I feel when driving that road.
The president’s second son marked the early-morning occasion:
I am deeply honored that at 5:01 a.m., Trump Force One will be the first plane to land at the newly renamed Palm Beach International Airport — now and forever President Donald J. Trump International Airport (DJT).
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) July 9, 2026
There is no person who has done more for Florida and our country,… pic.twitter.com/MlmYIwv2oZ
I am deeply honored that at 5:01 a.m., Trump Force One will be the first plane to land at the newly renamed Palm Beach International Airport — now and forever President Donald J. Trump International Airport (DJT).
There is no person who has done more for Florida and our country, and no one more deserving of this incredible honor. As a son, and someone who flies out of this airport nearly every day, I will forever be proud to see the initials “DJT” on my boarding pass.
Congratulations Dad — I’m happy to have played a big role in making this happen.
Thanks to @megforflorida, @GovRonDeSantis, @AGJamesUthmeier, and so many others for your incredible support.
The call sign is now officially “DJT”:
📣EFFECTIVE TODAY: Palm Beach International Airport's three-letter location identifier has changed from PBI to DJT following the airport's official renaming to Donald J. Trump International Airport.
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) July 9, 2026
FAA systems and publications reflect the new identifier. Pilots, air traffic… https://t.co/QVk1zZD5we
📣EFFECTIVE TODAY: Palm Beach International Airport's three-letter location identifier has changed from PBI to DJT following the airport's official renaming to Donald J. Trump International Airport.
FAA systems and publications reflect the new identifier. Pilots, air traffic controllers, and aviation stakeholders should use DJT for flight planning and operations.
I was only one letter off from regularly landing at my own airport, The Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, but then they changed the name to the boring “Hollywood Burbank Airport” in 2017. I can still have goals though.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to note that it was Trump Force One that made the historic landing, not Air Force One. We apologize for the error.
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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