Trump shows off new Air Force One to troops at RAF Mildenhall on return from Turkey
Trump stopped at the U.S. Air Force base in England to display the new presidential aircraft to service members, posting a group photo with hundreds of military personnel.
WHITE HOUSE — Donald Trump revealed a stopover at RAF Mildenhall to showcase the new Air Force One to military personnel during his return trip from Turkey on a Truth Social post on July 8, 2026 at 5:16 PM EST (see truthsocial).
Here is the full post on truthsocial: “We just landed and met up with our new Air Force One, which was sent earlier to RAF Mildenhall, so we could show the wonderful Servicemembers, as per the entire Base’s request. They were very excited, picture enclosed. It was on our way back to the States from Turkey, with virtually no deviation of flightpath. Trump UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”
The post was accompanied by a photograph showing the new Air Force One — a Boeing 747-8-based VC-25B — parked on the tarmac at a military airfield during what appears to be sunrise or sunset. An estimated 200 to 300 individuals, many in military uniforms consistent with U.S. Air Force personnel, stood assembled in front of the aircraft for a group photograph. The fuselage bore the markings “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” alongside the Presidential Seal, the traditional dark blue lower body, red accent stripe, and an American flag on the tail.
Trump said the aircraft had been sent ahead to RAF Mildenhall so that service members stationed at the base could see it, describing the visit as fulfilling “the entire Base’s request.” He noted the stop required “virtually no deviation of flightpath” from his return route from Turkey to the United States.
The new Air Force One, a Boeing 747-8-based VC-25B, is displayed to military personnel at RAF Mildenhall, England, on 07/08/2026. This aircraft is the replacement for the aging VC-25A fleet and was showcased to service members during its return trip from Turkey.
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RAF Mildenhall is a Royal Air Force station in Suffolk, England, that serves as a major hub for U.S. Air Force operations in Europe. The base hosts the 100th Air Refueling Wing and supports aerial refueling, special operations, and intelligence missions across the European and African theaters.
The new Air Force One program has been one of the most closely watched defense procurement efforts in recent years. The VC-25B aircraft, built on the Boeing 747-8 platform, is designed to replace the aging VC-25A fleet that has served as the presidential transport since 1990. Trump has taken a personal interest in the program since his first term, when he publicly negotiated the contract price with Boeing.
In the last 30 days, 10 of 541 Trump posts were on the topic of uncategorized subjects, indicating that posts about military visits and presidential travel fall outside his most frequent posting themes during the period.
Source: Zenger real-time database of all Truth Social posts.
Note: Chart generated on July 8, 2026 at 5:21 PM EST
Source: Zenger analysis real-time database of all Truth Social posts
Note: Table generated on July 8, 2026 at 5:21 PM EST