Donald Trump's Private Jet Got A Major Facelift Before His Historic Arrests

Donald Trump has long been a fan of putting his name on things. "Trump" has been on everything from New York City skyscrapers to steaks and from water to wine. So, it makes sense that his private plane features his name prominently in giant gold letters as well. Notably, Trump's name is now also on almost 100 criminal charges. Trump's first indictment on criminal charges in March 2023 were a first for any present or past president, and his fourth indictment in August 2023 was equally as momentous in that it gave the world its first mugshot of a U.S. president.

Trump arrived for all his court appearances — in New York, Miami, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta — in his Trump branded plane, which underwent a major renovation in the months before his historic arrests. Of course, the plane still features Trump's name in gold capital letters, but this time, instead of a stylized "T" on the tail, it has an American flag.

Despite the criminal charges, Donald Trump has continued to run for president. A prominent part of his 2024 campaign seems to be the image of a successful businessman. What makes a better image of success than your own plane with your name on it? And putting the American flag on the tail of the plane certainly helps to emphasize Trump's ongoing political ambitions.

Trump used the plane frequently in his first run for president in 2016, and once he was elected, he didn't continue to use the Boeing 757-200. It makes sense then that it was time for an upgrade. The update was done at LandLocked Aviation in Lake Charles, Louisiana in 2022.

The workers there were apparently pretty excited about their task. "I think it was hard for anybody to not get excited," Tyson Grenzebach, president at LandLocked Aviation told KPLC News. "We tried to keep very professional and stick to the task at hand but we all had a little something in the back of our minds driving us to the level of excellence the customer [...] needed."

Donald Trump's jumbo jet took some test flights in late October 2022 after its renovation to confirm that it was all fixed up and ready to go. Along with its new look, there were updates to the plane's engines, and those test flights helped confirm that it was safe and ready to go. Trump posted on Truth Social about the plane once it was ready for flight again, calling it "everybody's favorite airplane" and including a timelapse video of the jet getting redone.

Trump bought the plane, which was originally built in 1991, back in 2010 and had it redone, all for a reported $100 million. The interior was updated to match his taste with gold everywhere you look — seat belts, bathroom fixtures, door handles, and more. The plane 43 leather seats embroidered with the Trump crest along with a dining room, two bedrooms, and a VIP lounge section. And he's back to using it on the campaign trail, notably flying over the Iowa State Fair while Florida governor and presidential challenger Ron DeSantis was flipping pork chops.

Along with the 757, the Trump Organization owns a smaller Cessna Citation that seats nine and three helicopters that can be used by VIPs and guests at some Trump properties.  Before 2011, his biggest private plane was a 727. Boeing 727s were also the plane of choice for the short-lived Trump Shuttle service that ran from 1989 to 1992.