During his term in office, Donald Trump had access to a whole fleet of luxury vehicles, from the presidential Cadillac limo known as The Beast to Air Force One. Now the former president must rely on his own modes of transport and there are rumors that his personal aircraft – Trump Force One (pictured) – sits decaying in New York with just one engine and is growing more unfit for flying by the day. So how is The 45th getting around these days? Click or scroll through to discover the former president’s million-dollar cars, helicopters and other forms of transport.
Before he flew in Air Force One, Donald Trump had Trump Force One, which is the informal name of his private Boeing 757-200 jet that he bought from the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2011. The business mogul was quick to revamp the plane’s interiors in line with his famously extravagant taste in décor, and a staggering $100 million was spent on lavish leather seating, a gold silk-upholstered master bedroom and a spacious bathroom with its own 24-carat gold sink.
Once he became president, Donald Trump didn’t have much use for his airliner and it was put into long-term storage at New York Stewart International Airport. Planning on staying in office until 2024, the then-president neglected to maintain Trump Force One. And so after Trump lost the election last year, his wish to leave the White House on his private jet couldn't happen as it was unsuitable for flight after an engine had been removed. Recent reports suggest that the plane continues to languish in storage at Stewart Airport (pictured).
One of Trump’s aircraft that is still up and running is his 1997 Cessna Citation X, which became a famous sight on the 2016 campaign trail. The private jet is more compact than his Boeing 757-200, with a cabin height of five feet and seven inches – eight inches shorter than Trump himself – and just two club chairs facing each other. This one doesn’t come with a private shower onboard but is kitted out with “top of the line interiors” according to the Trump Organization, while its exterior is emblazoned with the signature Trump Crest. The Cessna was grounded for a short period in 2016 as the license expired, but Trump maneuvered his way out of any legal difficulties by selling the jet – to himself.
Why have one helicopter when you can have three? Trump has Sikorsky S-76 choppers based in New York, Florida and Scotland ready for use at guests’ convenience at his private clubs in the areas. The bold exteriors show the aircraft as unmistakably belonging to the former president, and one of the choppers underwent a $750,000 redecoration in the early 2010s that saw its interiors decked out with 24-carat gold-plated hardware. In November one of the Sikorskys was put up for sale, but it’s unknown whether Trump found a buyer. The average asking price for a helicopter of that age is between $1.4 million and $1.6 million.
Donald Trump may have splashed millions of dollars on high-end aircraft over the years, but in 1989 he tried to turn the tables and make a business out of his love of flying. Always on the lookout for a money-making opportunity, Trump raised $365 million to purchase flailing airline Eastern Air Lines Shuttle, which he renamed Trump Shuttle. The fleet consisted of 21 Boeing 727s and $1 million was spent on refurbishing each plane, but within 18 months the company was hemorrhaging funds. After the venture lost $128 million, Trump decided to ground his airline for good.
A year before snapping up Eastern Air Lines Shuttle, Trump set out to conquer the oceans when he bought a $29 million yacht from the Sultan of Brunei, who had recently purchased the boat from Arabian business mogul Adan Khashoggi. Trump worked his décor magic and added a pool on the sun deck, a movie theater, a disco, a sauna and even an elevator that travelled between the five decks. He renamed his rejuvenated yacht Trump Princess. The yacht’s helipad was also replaced by a giant “T” for Trump, which helped to drive renovation costs up to $10 million. Trump Princess was then sold to Prince Al-Waleed of Saudi Arabia in 1991 for around $19 million.
After the completion of Trump Princess in 1989, Trump set his sights on another ocean project: Trump Princess II. Designs were drawn up by Jaime Oliver of Oliver Yacht Design, and the boat was set to be “not only…the largest yacht in the world, but at the same time, the most beautiful”, according to Trump. At 420 feet long, the superstructure would had plenty of room for entertaining, and featured multiple pools and dining areas. But just a couple of months into the project Trump Princess II was scrapped. The structure that was set to become the world’s fanciest yacht is rumored to still be sat at the Dutch Amels Makkum facility, and is reportedly used as a bike storage space.
A fan of this luxurious automaker, Trump also went on to acquire a 2010 Rolls-Royce Phantom, which he sold at auction with an autographed car manual in January this year. It had an estimate price of $300,000-$400,000 but the actual sold price hasn't been made public. He still has the 2015 Phantom model, which is likely to have cost him around $500,000. The priciest of Trump’s cars, the Phantom is the crown jewel in the former president’s high-class (and high cost) array of vehicles.
In 2003, Mercedes released the SLR McLaren supercar, and auto enthusiast Donald Trump was quick to snap up one of the sleek two-door models. In his 2004 book Think Like a Billionaire, the monied business mogul highlights his love of the German carmaker: “My favorite car is a Mercedes. I've had one for a long time, and it's reliable, elegant, and sturdy all at once. I have no complaints about my Mercedes. It's never disappointed me. The cars are not temperamental, and they make my life easier. Mercedes cars are also great because they are classy without being ostentatious.”
Another Italian carmaker that really gets Trump’s motor going is Ferrari, and in 2007 the billionaire treated himself to a brand-new F430 F1 Coupe. The brilliant red sportscar was sold on within four years and, after passing through several owners, it went under the hammer again in 2017, when it sold for $240,000. The Ferrari previously owned by Trump was most recently sold at auction this January, and had an estimate of $400,000 to $600,000, but it's unknown if it sold in this range.
Trump’s relationship with all-American car manufacturer Cadillac stretches back to 1988, when he collaborated with the company to create a deluxe Trump Series limo line. This Allanté convertible is an example of the gold editions in the range and one was allegedly gifted to Trump as part of the deal. On receiving his car Trump reportedly remarked: “You can see the kind of quality there is. We left nothing out. I’m very honored that they built me the first one and, frankly, I deserve it.” Other sources suggest that Trump’s father Fred was actually the first recipient of one of the golden Cadillacs, which came with gold-plated metallic accents and Italian leather interiors.
Perhaps a surprising addition to Trump’s fuel-guzzling array of sportscars is a Tesla Roadster, a fully electric, zero-emission vehicle celebrated for its environmentally-friendly credentials. Trump owning one of the vehicles could just be hearsay though, as there aren’t any photos of the former president driving the car and it’s difficult to imagine Trump, who stands at six foot two inches tall, squeezing into the compact, low-slung vehicle.
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