The first C-32A used as Air Force Two has quietly emerged in a striking new paint scheme, turning what might have been a routine maintenance event into a visible marker of a wider VIP fleet overhaul. The updated livery, aligned with Donald Trump’s preferred design for Air Force One, signals the practical start of a transition away from the classic Kennedy-era blue and white look that has defined American executive air travel for decades.
What appears on one Boeing 757-derived jet now foreshadows a broader shift across the U.S. Air Force’s presidential and VIP aircraft, from the future Air Force One 747s to smaller support types. The repaint of this single C-32A is less a one-off experiment than a first installment in a methodical, phased makeover of the entire fleet that carries the country’s top leaders.
The first C-32A in Trump’s colors
The aircraft at the center of attention is a U.S. Air Force C-32A, a military variant of the Boeing 757 that often flies as Air Force Two when it carries the vice president. Spotters identified the jet, serial number 99-0003, after it appeared in a hangar with a new white and dark blue paint scheme that matches the design selected for the next Air Force One. Reporting on the rollout emphasizes that this C-32A is the first VIP jet to fully adopt the new palette, a visual cue that the long-discussed repaint program has moved from planning into hardware.
Photographs of the aircraft show a clean white upper fuselage over a deep navy lower section, separated by red and gold cheat lines that run the length of the cabin. The livery includes a large American flag on the tail and bold titles along the fuselage, echoing the planned look for the future VC-25B 747s that will serve as Air Force One. One detailed account describes how the colors and layout on the C-32A mirror the proposed presidential design right down to the placement of the cheat lines along the fuselage of the C-32A, confirming that this is not a generic refresh but a deliberate preview of the new standard.
From Kennedy-era blue to a darker palette
For more than 60 years, the Kennedy-era scheme has defined the public image of American presidential aircraft, with a light blue upper fuselage, white top, and polished details that became iconic on the current Air Force One 747s. The decision to move away from that look reflects Trump’s long-stated preference for a darker, more dramatic color combination, trading pastel blue for dark navy, deep red, and metallic gold. Reports on the VIP repaint program describe the new palette as Trump’s answer to the classic aesthetic associated with John F. Kennedy, with the intention of putting a different personal stamp on the presidential fleet.
Officials and sources quoted in coverage of the program describe a systematic plan to replace the traditional Kennedy-era paint colors across the U.S. Air Force presidential and VIP fleet with the darker tones that now appear on the C-32A. One analysis notes that the updated colors are expected to appear on the future Air Force One aircraft as they enter service, and that the same design language will extend to smaller jets and support aircraft that share the mission of transporting senior leaders. The shift effectively retires the familiar light blue and white motif in favor of a unified Trump-era visual identity across the fleet.
A phased makeover of the VIP fleet
The appearance of the repainted C-32A suggests that the Air Force is pursuing a phased rollout rather than flipping the entire VIP inventory to the new scheme at once. One report on the repaint notes that the emergence of a single completed C-32 indicates the program is underway but does not imply a fixed deadline for every aircraft to be converted. Maintenance cycles, depot availability, and operational demands all shape when each jet can be pulled from service for a full strip and repaint, so the makeover will likely unfold incrementally over several years.
Coverage of the broader effort describes a plan that starts with high-visibility aircraft like the C-32A and eventually extends to other VIP types, including the VC-25B successors to Air Force One and additional support jets. A detailed account of the program explains that with the aircraft sporting Trump’s redesigned livery, the process is officially underway to replace the Kennedy-era blue, white, and silver finish across the presidential fleet, fulfilling a design push that dates back to his first term in office. The C-32A makeover therefore serves as both a test case and a public signal that the Air Force has committed to the new standard.
Spotters, serials and the 32-seat configuration
The first public hints of the repaint came not from an official unveiling but from aviation enthusiasts tracking movements at maintenance facilities and sharing images online. Spotters quickly tied the aircraft’s registration and serial number 99-0003 to its history as a C-32A that frequently flies as Air Force Two, and photographs of the new livery circulated widely among specialist communities. One detailed report identifies the jet as a C-32A used for VIP missions and highlights how the new paint job brings the smaller aircraft visually in line with the planned Air Force One design, reinforcing its role in the presidential transport ecosystem.
Inside, the C-32A is configured with a VIP interior rather than standard airline seating, and sources describe layouts that prioritize conference space, secure communications, and staff work areas over passenger density. One technical overview of the fleet references a 32 seat arrangement in a VIP configuration, a figure that underscores how these aircraft are tailored for government leaders rather than commercial service. Enthusiast and industry platforms that track such aircraft, including marketplaces like aircraft listings, help corroborate the underlying airframe details and typical configurations for Boeing 757-based executive transports.
Symbolism, politics and what comes next
Presidential aircraft liveries have always carried symbolic weight, and the shift from the Kennedy-era colors to Trump’s darker palette is no exception. Analysts point out that the classic light blue scheme came to represent a particular era of American soft power, while the new design projects a more aggressive, high-contrast look that aligns with Trump’s branding instincts. One report on the Air Force One repaint program notes that the U.S. Air Force is replacing the long-standing blue and white colors with the updated Trump color scheme across aircraft that serve as Air Force One, and that other VIP jets will be repainted in the updated colors as schedules allow.
The politics around the change are likely to persist, particularly as more aircraft emerge from paint shops in the new livery and the first VC-25B enters service. Some coverage frames the repaint as a routine modernization that coincides with the introduction of new airframes, while other analysis stresses its role as a visible expression of presidential preference that breaks with six decades of visual continuity. Either way, the sight of Air Force Two in Trump’s colors, documented in detailed accounts of the new presidential livery, confirms that the makeover has moved from concept art to aluminum and paint, and that the rest of the VIP fleet is now on the same trajectory.
