Former President Donald Trump sparked intrigue and commentary after sharing an image of himself with a model aircraft dubbed the 'America First 250', capping off a frenetic morning of social media activity on the day after Christmas.
A Festive Flurry on Truth Social
In the early hours of Friday, 27 December 2025, Trump took to his Truth Social platform, posting on average every two minutes. The barrage of messages covered a wide range of topics, from calling for an end to the Senate filibuster, which he labelled a 'zombie apocalypse', to touting federal unemployment figures and sharing a news article suggesting the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files was 'blowing back' on Democrats.
This followed a bizarre Christmas Day post from the president concerning Epstein, in which he claimed to have severed ties with the late financier 'long before it became fashionable' and dismissed the controversy as a 'Radical Left Witch Hunt'.
The Mysterious Model Aircraft
Amid this stream of consciousness, one post stood out: a photograph of a beaming Trump in the Oval Office, posing with a detailed model of a jet on the Resolute Desk. The image was posted without any explanatory comment.
The miniature plane bore the slogan 'America First' on its fuselage, with the number '250' towards the tail section. This appears to be a reference to the United States' upcoming semiquincentennial anniversary in 2026. Trump has previously announced grand plans for the milestone, including a UFC event on the White House South Lawn and a youth athletic competition called the 'Patriot Games', which has drawn comparisons to the dystopian 'Hunger Games' franchise.
The official White House account also shared the enigmatic picture, leading some followers to question its meaning. A handful speculated whether it represented the luxury Boeing 747 jet gifted to Trump by Qatar, valued at approximately $400 million, which he accepted as a temporary stand-in for Air Force One.
Ethics and Aftermath of the Qatar Jet
The acceptance of the Qatari aircraft in the spring caused a significant ethics uproar. Critics argued it potentially violated the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clause, which prohibits federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign states without Congressional approval.
However, Justice Department lawyers, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and White House lawyer David Warrington, swiftly moved to rule the donation 'legally permissible'. Despite Trump's assurance that the jet would eventually be donated to his presidential library, reports in late July indicated the U.S. had already begun an expensive refit of the plane. Trump himself suggested it could be ready for service by February 2026.
The posting of the model plane image, devoid of context, served as a fitting end to a characteristically turbulent and headline-grabbing festive period for the former president, blending policy, personal grievance, and patriotic symbolism in a single social media session.
