• President Donald Trump flew on his new Air Force One for the first time on Wednesday.
• The VC-25B, a luxury jet valued at around $400 million, was gifted to Trump by Qatar.
• The new Air Force One is bigger, faster, more fuel-efficient, and more luxurious than the old one.

Since his first term in the White House, President Donald Trump has displayed a model of a new Air Force One plane on his desk.

On Wednesday, his long-held vision became a reality when the aircraft he accepted as a gift from Qatar, designated the VC-25B Bridge, flew as Air Force One for the first time.

Speaking to reporters before boarding the aircraft at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Trump called it the “best plane ever built.”

He later landed in Medora, North Dakota, for the dedication of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.

Retrofitted with state-of-the-art protective measures and painted with his favored colors of red, white, and blue, the new presidential plane is bigger, faster, more fuel-efficient, and more luxurious than the outgoing VC-25A, which has been in service since President George H.W. Bush held office in the 1990s.

Here’s how Trump’s new VC-25B Bridge compares to the old VC-25A.

The old Air Force One was a customized Boeing 747-200B, designated VC-25A, that entered service under President George H.W. Bush.

The first VC-25A, known as SAM 28000, began serving as Air Force One in 1990.

The outgoing Air Force One, a second, identical VC-25A known as SAM 29000, entered service in 1991.

The VC-25A measures 231 feet and 10 inches long with a wingspan of 195 feet and 8 inches.

The new Air Force One is a customized Boeing 747-8i built in 2012 and previously used as a luxury transport by the Qatari royal family.

The VC-25B Bridge — so called because it’s serving as an interim presidential aircraft before Boeing’s customized VC-25Bs are completed in 2027 or 2028 — is larger than the VC-25A at 250 feet long, with a wingspan of 224 feet and 5 inches.

The old Air Force One featured a light blue and white paint job resembling the design originally chosen by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy.

Jacqueline Kennedy chose the shades of blue and white for SAM 26000, a Boeing VC-137C that entered service in 1962 under President John F. Kennedy.

The first lady was also responsible for adding the words “United States of America” to the presidential plane.

An American flag was featured on the tail, with the stars facing forward per the US Flag Code.

Trump selected a red, white, and navy blue livery for the new Air Force One and a new waving American flag design on the tail.

The Air Force initially rejected the navy paint color Trump proposed during his first term for the forthcoming VC-25Bs, saying a thermal study found that the darker shade would require additional testing to avoid overheating issues. However, Trump got his preferred colors in his second term. He also reimagined the tail’s flag design.

“As you know, we’ve always gone with a straight little noodle and I never loved that,” Trump said of the tail’s new waving flag design after touring the plane at Joint Base Andrews on June 19. “Now we have a wavy, beautiful flag. We’re waving it proudly because our country is doing so well.”

The old Air Force One jet had four General Electric CF6-80C2B1 jet engines, each with 56,700 pounds of thrust.

While traveling at 630 miles per hour, the VC-25A had a range of 7,800 miles without refueling.

The four GEnx-2B engines on the new Air Force One each feature 66,500 pounds of thrust and emit 16 tons less carbon dioxide per trip, the White House said.

The VC-25B Bridge can fly faster and farther than its predecessor, with a range of 8,900 miles at 660 miles per hour.

Both the VC-25A and VC-25B Bridge are capable of midair refueling.

The interiors of the old Air Force One largely remained the same through several administrations, with a few cosmetic changes.

Some furniture and decor had been updated under various presidents — for example, President Bill Clinton’s Air Force One conference room featured tan leather chairs, while President Barack Obama opted for a darker chocolate brown. However, the plane’s beige walls and wood paneling didn’t change much throughout its 35 years of service.

Trump’s new luxury jet is outfitted with gold light fixtures, reclining massage chairs, and gleaming surfaces throughout.

Trump called the new Air Force One “the world’s most luxurious plane.” It features a primary bedroom with an en-suite bathroom that includes a walk-in shower, as well as a common area with couches and private office spaces.

The press section is also outfitted with luxurious touches, including reclining massage chairs.

The old VC-25A planes cost $325 million each.

Boeing is building new, customized VC-25Bs to serve as Air Force One, but the $3.9 billion project is behind schedule. The planes were initially supposed to be delivered in 2024, but the timeframe has been pushed to 2027 or 2028, prompting Trump to seek his own means of acquiring a new presidential jet.

The new presidential jet was a gift from Qatar valued at around $400 million, but the cost of retrofitting it to serve as Air Force One remains classified.

Secretary of the Air Force Troy E. Meink told Congress in June 2025 that retrofitting the new Air Force One would cost less than $400 million, while some lawmakers expressed concerns that it could cost up to $1 billion in taxpayer funds.

In July 2025, The New York Times flagged a $934 million transfer of funds from a nuclear modernization budget for updating aging ground-based weapons systems to a classified project, which it reported could be the new Air Force One since the presidential plane is equipped to order nuclear strikes. The Air Force declined to comment.

Vaseline is a 155-year-old brand that has been “reinvented through the hands of creators,” said Leandro Barreto, chief marketing officer at Unilever.

Barreto said brand leaders thought Vaseline was a straightforward beauty brand, but they learned that customers use the product in many different ways — like on their dog’s noses or in their shoes.

“We started understanding we should give the brand back to the communities and let them do with it what was more relevant for them,” Barreto said. “It’s a proof for us of consistency of meaning, flexibility of the execution and culture.”

• I spent two weeks backpacking in Europe for the first time in 2022. I traveled to four countries.
• I visited six cities for short stays: Berlin, Vienna, Venice, Rome, Milan, and Zurich.
• I regretted packing six destinations into one trip because I didn’t have enough time in each place.

The clock in my head began ticking the moment I landed in Berlin because 48 hours later, I’d be en route to Vienna.

This was back in October 2022 when I went backpacking through Europe for the first time. I spent two weeks visiting four countries and six cities by rail.

I was headed somewhere new every 24 to 48 hours for the rest of the trip as I checked off the other cities on my list: Venice, Italy, Rome, Milan, and Zurich.

On my way to each destination, the same question popped into my head: Is two weeks in Europe enough time to explore all these places?

Back then, I wanted to see as much of the continent as possible. So I thought one or two nights in each city would help me make the most of my time abroad.

But after three flights, 11 train rides, and 60 hours in transit, I returned home with only a sampling of what each place had to offer.

48 hours isn’t enough time to explore a city

I longed for more memories in Berlin as soon as I boarded my train to Vienna. When I headed from Austria to Italy, I felt I had barely gotten a taste of Vienna’s art scene.

I spent a week in Italy, but splitting my time between three different cities — Venice, Rome, and Milan — left me craving more.

The ancient city of Rome blended old and new. I strolled down cobblestone streets with ruins on one side and modern buildings on the other. Seeing the dramatic exteriors of Renaissance museums had me longing for enough time to go inside. And seeing ruins from a distance made me wish I could see them up close.

My last stop in Switzerland had my favorite landscapes of the whole trip, and after just two nights, I flew home wishing I’d made time for an epic mountain hike.

From stunning architecture and rich histories to striking landscapes, these cities impressed me upon arrival.

However, with less than 48 hours to explore each destination, I could only hit the top tourist highlights, like the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the Colosseum in Rome, and the canals in Venice.

I didn’t have a chance to dive deeper into what life was really like in each city. If I had more time, I would have cruised on Lake Zurich, shopped in Milan, or spent a night in the Kreuzberg neighborhood in Berlin. Each day in every city, I walked past remarkable buildings and massive museums that intrigued me and thought, “Next time.”

So, no — two weeks is not enough time to explore six European cities, and I learned the hard way.

Visit fewer places and take your time

If you’re planning a trip to Europe, don’t make the same mistake I did.

For a two-week trip, I recommend visiting one or two cities or towns and immersing yourself in their art scenes, neighborhoods, and history. That way, you’ll leave with a deeper sense of the destinations you carefully selected.

On my flight back to New York City, I’d already started mentally planning to visit Zurich, Berlin, Rome, and Vienna again.

So, on the way home, if you still wonder about a destination you didn’t get to, make sure there’s a next time.

• A flight to Tel Aviv was diverted to Bulgaria after an unintentional hijacking alert was triggered.
• The Israel Defense Forces scrambled fighter jets after it was unable to make contact with the plane.
• Bulgaria’s transportation ministry attributed the false hijacking alert to a “technical failure.”

A LOT Polish Airlines commercial flight from Warsaw to Tel Aviv was diverted to Burgas, Bulgaria, on Tuesday after a hijacking alert was unintentionally triggered in flight.

LOT Polish Airlines flight 155, operated by Electra Airways, took off from Warsaw at 11:35 a.m. local time, then circled over the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Cyprus before turning around and landing at Burgas at 5:13 p.m., FlightAware flight path data showed.

In a statement to The Times of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said it scrambled two fighter jets after it was unable to make contact with the Airbus A320 aircraft, but that contact was restored amid the unusual mid-flight security scare.

“There is no fear of a security incident,” the IDF said.

A representative for LOT Polish Airlines told Business Insider that the “mistaken” emergency transponder code was “subsequently canceled during further communication with air traffic control.”

Bulgaria’s transportation ministry confirmed the false hijacking code to The Times of Israel and said Bulgarian jets were also sent to escort the plane. It said a “technical failure of the aircraft’s transponder” signaled an “unlawful interference/hijacking.”

Passengers were removed from the plane, screened by Bulgarian police, and brought to a holding area, where LOT Polish Airlines apologized for the “exceptional circumstances.”

“The diversion of your flight to Burgas was caused by the unintentional activation of an onboard security alert,” the airline wrote in a note to passengers that was exclusively obtained by Business Insider. “In accordance with the applicable safety procedures, the aircraft was redirected to [an] alternate airport, so that the situation could be fully clarified with the relevant authorities.”

The statement continued: “Situations of this nature are extremely rare and are not part of normal flight operations. Nevertheless, the safety and security of our passengers and crew must always remain our highest priority.”

LOT Polish Airlines told Business Insider that passengers were instructed to follow the local service’s instructions after the emergency landing and will be given further information as it becomes available.

The IDF did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Military jets are deployed to escort airliners under certain circumstances, like bombs threats, security alerts, and loss of contact with air traffic control.

An American Airlines flight from New York to Delhi diverted to Rome with a fighter jet escort in early 2025 after the plane received a bomb threat. It was ultimately a false alarm.

• I’ve been a Costco employee for about eight years, and I shop there often for food and essentials.
• Kirkland Signature roasted almonds, shelled pistachios, and nondairy oat beverage are staples.
• I also enjoy stocking up on distilled white vinegar, coffee, and certain medications at Costco.

I’ve worked at Costco for almost a decade, since 2018.

I’m on the go during most of the workday, and I like to make sure I have energy and time left at the end of the day for family, fun, and even household chores.

Luckily, it’s easy to grab groceries and other essentials at Costco after my shift. As an empty nester, here are a few of my favorite buys that help me stay on budget and live efficiently.

My FoodSaver has been an incredible kitchen tool.

Long before I started working for Costco, I invested in a FoodSaver because I was tired of my extra fish and meat getting freezer burn.

Since I buy in bulk so frequently and often cook for one, I’ve quickly gotten my money’s worth out of this machine.

Typically, I get large packages of fish, chicken, or steak on sale at Costco, divide them into individual portions, seal them in airtight bags (also purchased at Costco) using my FoodSaver machine, and freeze them for later.

I’ve found these airtight packages of protein last up to a year in the freezer without showing signs of freezer burn.

All in all, my FoodSaver is great for meal prepping, avoiding waste, and practicing portion control while saving money.

Kirkland Signature organic chicken stock is a staple in my kitchen.

Working full-time should not mean sacrificing good meals at lunch and dinner. To set myself up for success, I regularly buy bulk packs of Kirkland Signature chicken thighs and organic chicken stock.

On one of my days off, I cook a large quantity of chicken thighs on the grill, in the oven, or in my pressure cooker. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, I remove all the fat.

This process naturally leaves small pieces and large pieces of meat, which I seal in FoodSaver bags and freeze. Now, fully cooked chicken is ready to add to any recipe.

For a quick meal, I combine smaller portions of frozen meat with chopped veggies, pre-cooked brown rice, and chicken stock to prepare a semi-homemade soup.

Usually, I’ll bring stock and veggies (often carrots and squash) to a simmer in the microwave, then pour it over a bowl of rice and frozen chicken. The heat from the stock is enough to warm the chicken. From there, I season my soup to taste, and dinner is served!

I also heat up chicken stock and use it for warming up chicken pieces that I can use in a salad or tacos. Sometimes, to add extra flavor to rice, I cook it in chicken stock instead of water.

A few times a year, I stock up on San Francisco Bay Coffee’s French Roast.

I love the rich taste of San Francisco Bay Coffee and appreciate the brand’s mission and farming practices.

The 3-pound bags of its French Roast typically go on sale a couple of times a year at my local Costco. When it does, I buy a few packages so that I always have close to a year’s supply in my freezer.

Before freezing it, I snip the original packaging, then vacuum-seal it in a FoodSaver bag to remove all the air.

Fortunately, I think this coffee tastes great even after months in the freezer — and knowing it was purchased on sale adds to the joy of every cup.

Fairlife nutrition shakes help me meet my protein goals.

I require a very high-protein diet, but I need to watch my calories.

Fortunately, these Fairlife chocolate nutrition shakes help me reach my protein goals without consuming too many calories. Each has 30 grams of protein and 150 calories.

They’re so nice and chocolaty that I even enjoy them as a dessert when paired with a handful of pistachios.

Kirkland Signature nondairy oat beverage is also a staple for me.

To add more fiber and protein to my morning bowl of Cheerios, I eat them in a bowl of Kirkland Signature nondairy oat beverage. One cup of the beverage has 3 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.

I also like that it consistently tastes fresh, and the cartons are shelf-stable and don’t need to be stored in the fridge.

The ingredients in the Kirkland Signature oat beverage are also comparable to many others at a higher price point.

You’ll find Winix air purifiers throughout my home.

I keep Winix air purifiers in my living room and bedroom to filter out things like pollen, fine dust, and smoke. Some versions of them are available at Costco for about $130 each.

I have seasonal allergies, and generally, I find running these makes the indoor air much more pleasant and less triggering.

Kirkland Signature shelled pistachios are a great snack.

Pistachios are considered to be a complete protein, which is rare among nuts. This, combined with their great taste, makes them one of my favorite snacks.

The Kirkland Signature pistachios are typically priced pretty well, which affords me the luxury of buying them unshelled. They’re roasted and salted, too, which makes their flavor even better.

I’m also a fan of Kirkland Signature roasted almonds with sea salt.

These Kirkland Signature nuts have a satisfying, crunchy crispness and well-developed almond flavor. Each bag I’ve had has been consistently roasted and salted.

I keep almonds in my locker at work because the high-protein nuts do such a great job of controlling my appetite. Also, I’ve found that a few crushed-up almonds make a terrific crunchy addition to brown rice.

White vinegar can be great for cleaning, so I buy it in bulk at Costco.

I like using distilled white vinegar when I clean, so I buy gallons of it in bulk at Costco. Most recently, I purchased a two-gallon pack from the Four Monks brand.

I usually keep a spray bottle of diluted vinegar on hand when I want to give my stainless-steel appliances a nice shine and remove hard-water stains from the shower.

When diluted, white vinegar can also be great for descaling some coffee makers.

Kirkland Signature Aller-Flo allergy spray works well for me.

Costco has its own version of a lot of popular medications, and I find myself repurchasing a few of them on a regular basis.

Kirkland Signature Aller-Flo, a fluticasone spray comparable to Flonase, helps me with my congestion and itchy eyes as much as other brand-name products have.

Using this spray allows me to function much more effectively when my allergy symptoms are bad, and I find it’s usually priced fairly well at Costco.

I keep Kirkland Signature arthritis pain relief gel on hand.

I sometimes take acetaminophen for minor aches and pains, but diclofenac does a wonderful job on my muscle aches and joint pain.

Typically, I just use the Kirkland Signature arthritis pain relief gel. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug just like acetaminophen, and because it’s applied topically, it has very good tissue penetration.

I keep a tube of this in my locker at work, one in my first-aid kit in the car, and another at home.

Costco was not involved in the sourcing or writing of this story. The views contained within represent the author’s personal views.

Keep reading our other Costco Diaries to see what chefs, dietitians, and other shoppers love buying at the chain.

• Dr. Judith Joseph is a psychiatrist who researches high-functioning depression.
• People with high-functioning depression can look like overachievers or people-pleasers.
• Untreated high-functioning depression can lead to physical symptoms and unhealthy coping habits.

On the surface, being a people-pleaser seems to come with perks. Always being agreeable can keep people around; saying yes to every last-minute work request makes you feel less dispensable.

In the long run, however, people-pleasing doesn’t just lead to being taken advantage of and shallower relationships: it can also be detrimental to your health.

Dr. Judith Joseph, a New York City-based psychiatrist and author of “High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy,” said chronic people-pleasing may increase the risk of high-functioning depression, an informal term for depression in people who appear outwardly put-together and successful while exhibiting symptoms like hopelessness, irritability, and emptiness.

While the term isn’t an official diagnosis in the DSM-5, the primary diagnostic manual used by mental health clinicians, they still use it sometimes to informally describe people whose depression isn’t outwardly obvious.

Unlike burnout, which is typically tied to a specific stressor like work or caregiving, high-functioning depression doesn’t necessarily improve when someone changes jobs or takes a break from those responsibilities, Joseph said. “They still have the symptoms even though the environment’s gone,” Joseph told Business Insider.

Overwhelmingly, she sees patients with high-functioning depression exhibit some levels of people-pleasing and constant self-sacrifice. “I think of people who believe that they have to be the rock,” Joseph added. “I think of the nurse in the ER who hasn’t had a pee break but has made sure to empty everyone else’s Foley [catheter].”

Joseph shared why untreated high-functioning depression can lead to long-term physical health issues. She also gave tips on how to stop being a people-pleaser.

Achievement without enjoyment

Joseph, who works in Manhattan, said she sees many successful patients in her practice. On paper, everything looks great. They have no problems completing their daily responsibilities or getting promoted at work. They just don’t know why none of it makes them feel good.

“There’s a difference between someone who is productive and loving what they’re doing, versus someone who is busying themselves, but it’s pathological productivity,” Joseph said.

She added that achieving things “just to get through the day,” rather than because they bring you joy, may reflect anhedonia — a core symptom of depression marked by a loss of interest or pleasure in activities you once enjoyed.

People-pleasers might continue to push through symptoms like anhedonia because of low self-worth and a history of internalized shame, she said. Because they feel like they can’t pause, say no, or ask for help, they continue marching onward.

“They have developed this personality and this identity tied to doing for others or showing up in a role, and they kind of lose who they are,” Joseph said. “I see this often with high-functioning folks.”

Dangerous ways to cope

Left unaddressed, Joseph said, there are a few common outcomes for people with high-functioning depression.

The first is that they dip into a more typical display of depression, where they struggle to get out of bed or withdraw from loved ones. They might also start to experience physical symptoms.

“Their brain is still coasting, but their bodies physically break down,” Joseph said. “They end up in the ER with neurological symptoms or chest pain, dehydration, or physical exhaustion.”

Joseph has also seen patients cope through excessive drinking, drugs, or unhealthy behaviors like gambling, overspending, or endlessly scrolling on their phones. “They’re soothing in these ways because they don’t understand what’s happening,” she said.

The best way to stop people-pleasing

If you know you have people-pleasing tendencies but can’t seem to draw boundaries, Joseph suggested digging deeper into worst-case scenarios.

“What’s the worst thing that’ll happen if you don’t show up for this? What if you don’t work on the weekends? What if you don’t turn in that project because you’re really tired?” she said.

Because people-pleasers rarely put themselves first, Joseph said they can often be taken advantage of. “People pick that up,” she added, noting that it’s not always maliciously done, either. Joseph said it’s human nature for people to take what is constantly given.

Joseph said many of her clients find that setting clearer boundaries ultimately improves how they’re treated by others.

“Over time, you get more comfortable with that exposure, and you see that nothing bad happened,” Joseph said. ” In fact, they respected you more, and they actually listened. That is a game changer for a lot of my clients.”