Misappropriated Funds from Nuclear Missile Program Diverted for Modifications on Trump's Fresh Air Force One
In a move that has sparked controversy, the United States Air Force has diverted funds from its delayed Sentinel nuclear missile program to retrofit a former Qatari royal jet for use as President Donald Trump's Air Force One.
The exact amount diverted from the Sentinel program is not fully specified, but Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink indicated that the funds came from "excess" 2024 appropriations for the Sentinel program, which was delayed and under-executed. This diversion is part of a larger budget adjustment of nearly $1.2 billion in 2025, according to budget documents.
Meink has emphasised that this move will not delay the progress of the Sentinel program, which remains fully funded to proceed as quickly as possible. The initiative to build a new generation of land-based nuclear weapons, led by Northrop Grumman, is also progressing, albeit with reduced costs due to previous overruns and schedule delays.
The Air Force has requested $602 million for the VC-25B in 2026, with $4.2 billion earmarked for its development next year, according to budget documents. The total acquisition cost for the two VC-25B planes is now estimated at $6.2 billion, according to the Government Accountability Office's annual weapons report.
Meink previously estimated a $400 million price tag for turning the Qatari jet into a presidential transport. However, critics have suggested this figure might be optimistic, with costs potentially rising towards $1 billion. The retrofitted jet is expected to be ready by 2026 and used as Air Force One for a limited period before transfer to President Trump's presidential library.
Concerns about accepting a foreign jet to ferry Trump have been raised by Democratic lawmakers due to ethical and moral implications. It's unclear whether the House and Senate armed services and appropriations committees would need to sign off on the funding transfer.
The current Air Force One (VC-25) is facing readiness issues due to its age, and turning the former Qatari jet, a Boeing 747-8, into the presidential transport is expected to take just short of a year. The Air Force is yet to officially select a contractor for the retrofit, but can do so once it takes possession of the plane.
[1] Source: Air Force budget documents and Government Accountability Office's annual weapons report. [2] Source: Remarks by Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink.
- The diverted funds from the Sentinel nuclear missile program are part of the Air Force's 2025 budget adjustment of nearly $1.2 billion.
- The Air Force is retrofitting a former Qatari royal jet for use as President Donald Trump's Air Force One, a move that is part of a larger budget reallocation.
- Meink emphasized that the diversion of funds from the Sentinel program won't delay its progress, which remains fully funded for expedited development.
- The initiative to build a new generation of land-based nuclear weapons is progressing, with reduced costs due to previous delays.
- The Air Force has requested $602 million for the VC-25B in 2026, and $4.2 billion for its development in the following year.
- The total acquisition cost for the two VC-25B planes is now estimated at $6.2 billion.
- Critics have suggested that the estimated $400 million cost for the Qatari jet retrofit might be optimistic, with potential costs rising towards $1 billion.
- Concerns about accepting a foreign jet to ferry Trump were raised by Democratic lawmakers due to ethical and moral implications.
- The current Air Force One is facing readiness issues due to its age, and the retrofitted Qatari jet is expected to take just under a year to complete.
- The House and Senate armed services and appropriations committees may need to sign off on the funding transfer, but it's currently unclear if this is necessary.
