Trump’s Red, White And Gold Paint To Replace Kennedy-Era Colours On New Air Force One Fleet

Last Updated:February 18, 2026, 20:02 IST

Donald Trump’s proposed darker palette, which includes deep navy blue and gold accents, had drawn attention for its resemblance to the colors of his personal Boeing 757.

The iconic robin’s egg blue exterior that has defined Air Force One since the Kennedy administration is set to be replaced with US President Donald Trump’s preferred red, white and gold color scheme, as per news reports.

The new livery will be applied to the next-generation presidential aircraft — heavily modified Boeing 747s designated VC-25B — as well as other planes in the executive fleet, sources told CBS News.

The US President first proposed the design in his first term in office but was later reversed by Biden over cost and technical concerns.

“Air Force One is going to be incredible," Trump had said in 2018. “It’s going to be the top of the line, the top in the world. And it’s going to be red, white and blue, which I think is appropriate," he had said.

The planes which serve as Air Force One have been painted a baby blue and white livery since John F Kennedy’s administration and has since become synonymous with the presidential aircraft. Trump’s proposed darker palette, which includes deep navy blue and gold accents, had drawn attention for its resemblance to the colors of his personal Boeing 757.

In 2022, the Air Force under the Biden administration rejected the darker paint scheme, citing concerns that darker colors on the underside of the aircraft could contribute to higher temperatures affecting certain components.

“Further analysis concluded darker colors, among other factors, on the underside of the VC-25B aircraft might contribute to temperatures exceeding the current qualification limits of a small number of components," a spokesperson said at the time as reported by CNN.

When Trump was reelected his Air Force One paint scheme was again front and center, displayed on the evening of his inauguration on top of a cake at the Commander In Chief Ball. Now, it is often seen in a model on the coffee table in the Oval Office. A Department of Homeland Security Boeing 737 also started flying with a similar paint job last year.

The new colors will be applied to two new Boeing 747s being converted by Boeing, as well as a 747-8i aircraft donated by Qatar that is being retrofitted for presidential use. That aircraft could enter service as early as this summer.

The colors will also be applied during scheduled maintenance to four of the smaller C-32 aircraft, a military version of the Boeing 757, currently in the fleet. The first C-32 has already been painted and is expected to be delivered to the Air Force in the coming months.

“The first C-32 has been painted and is expected to be delivered to the Air Force in the next few months," an Air Force spokesperson confirmed to CNN.

News world Trump’s Red, White And Gold Paint To Replace Kennedy-Era Colours On New Air Force One Fleet

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