ICYMI on CNN: Courtney Amendment Would Block Air Force One “Bridge” Plane from Entering Trump’s Presidential Library

NORWICH, CT - In case you missed it on CNN, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02), Ranking Member of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, is working to block President Trump from moving the Qatari-gifted Air Force One "Bridge" aircraft, which has been retrofitted using roughly $400 million in taxpayer dollars, to his presidential library after leaving office.

"Having invested all of this money in a plane that the President himself described as practically 'brand new' - it has less than 1,000 flight hours - the notion that in two years' time, it's going to be decommissioned and retired, makes absolutely no sense," Courtney said on CNN. "If we pass my amendment, there's no question that it clearly states such a transfer would be against the law."

As Ranking Member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, Courtney filed an amendment to the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act to prohibit the Qatari-gifted Boeing 747-8i, now the VC-25B Bridge aircraft serving as Air Force One, from being transferred to any individual or entity outside of the Department of the Air Force. Last week, House Republican leadership blocked Courtney's amendment from receiving a vote on the House floor.

On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump "wants the Boeing 747 jumbo jet to eventually form the centerpiece of his planned presidential library in downtown Miami."

"Since the delivery of this aircraft, which has only approximately 1,000 flight hours, the U.S. taxpayer has made significant investment into the plane, and any notion that it will be retired in 2028 and divested in completely unacceptable," Courtney said when introducing his NDAA amendment last month.

Read the full text of Rep. Courtney's amendment here.

Executive airlift programs, including Air Force One, fall under the jurisdiction of the House Seapower and Projection Force Subcommittee.

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