Karoline Leavitt recently shared a series of photos from aboard the new Air Force One, which President Donald Trump was flying in for the first time. However, keen observers on social media noticed something in the photos that the White House might have preferred to keep under wraps.
The 28-year-old press secretary, just back from maternity leave, posted several images with the caption, “What a privilege to be aboard the inaugural flight on the brand new Air Force One! A truly unforgettable day,” as the jet made its debut.
The aircraft, a gift to the U.S. from Qatar, is outfitted with a ‘presidential aesthetic.’ This includes white grain leather trim on tables, pillows with the presidential seal, and framed images of Washington landmarks in the cabin.
President Trump expressed his excitement to reporters before boarding the plane, which will serve as a temporary Air Force One until a permanent replacement is completed in roughly two years.
“I’m excited about the first flight,” Trump remarked. “They just completed it. They made it appropriate for a president, that means the security and all of the different bells and whistles they put on. Very complex now, but it’s really quite something.”
Nevertheless, it wasn’t the presidential decor that drew public attention when the images circulated online.
One of Leavitt’s photos showed a television screen with the presidential seal in front of a bookshelf lined with hardback books, many simply labeled ‘library’ on the spine without any author, publisher, or title information.
As the image gained traction, people online began mocking the mysterious “Library” books, which appeared stacked in duplicate and triplicate, without dust jackets, author names, or discernible subjects.
“Of course a plane full of people who have never read a book has a bookshelf of fake books with titles like ‘Library’,” one individual tweeted, while another quipped, “Volume III of the Library is a real nail-biter.”
A third person summarized the sentiment, describing the bookshelf as “a perfect representation of the Trump administration… all show and no substance.”
The introduction of the jet follows months of debate over the gift from Doha. Some critics suggest Qatar’s gesture was an attempt to gain favor with Trump, while others question the necessity of a new aircraft given the ongoing development of costly new replacements for the current fleet.
Trump has dismissed such criticisms, arguing that the plane is of exceptional value.
“Frankly, we couldn’t build a plane like this because we wouldn’t be willing to spend the kind of money necessary. They spent top dollars,” Trump stated.
Once the new fleet is complete, the Qatari-gifted plane is slated to be displayed at the Trump Presidential Library in Miami, as per renderings shown earlier this year.
UNILAD has reached out to the White House for a statement.