Trump to Swap Iconic Kennedy-Era Air Force One Look for Bold New Red, White, Blue and Gold Livery

President Donald Trump will soon travel on Air Force jets bearing a bold new paint scheme featuring red, white, dark blue and gold, marking the first major redesign of the presidential aircraft’s exterior in decades. The U.S. Air Force announced on February 17 that the new look will replace the classic white and two-tone blue livery introduced during President John F. Kennedy’s administration and refined under First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s direction.

The updated color palette will be applied to the next generation of Air Force One aircraft, part of the VC-25B program built on the Boeing 747-8 platform, as well as other executive airlift planes that transport senior U.S. officials. Officials said the design retains the traditional “United States of America” markings along the fuselage and the American flag on the tail, but introduces deeper blue tones, prominent red striping and gold accents to create a more striking, contemporary appearance aligned with Trump’s preferences.

Trump has long signaled his desire to move away from the lighter “baby blue” scheme that has become synonymous with the modern presidency, favoring a more assertive red, white and blue look that he argues better reflects American power and patriotism. Design changes to the presidential fleet have historically been rare and politically symbolic, with each administration cautious about altering such a globally recognizable image of U.S. leadership. The Air Force said work on the new livery will be phased in as the aircraft cycle through production and maintenance schedules over the coming years.

Trump sought a redesign in his first term in office in 2018, when he said he wanted more patriotic red, white and blue colors instead of the “baby blue” on presidential jets.

His color choices were scrapped in 2020 after the Air Force determined the darker colors could cause overheating.

The Air Force has already started repainting some of the aircraft designated as presidential jets.