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JOINT BASE ANDREWS: President Donald Trump announced Sunday that his newly gifted Qatar-era Air Force One will undergo a month-long process to enhance its security features after concerns arose during a trip to Turkey.
He flew his first mission on the refurbished Boeing 747-8 on July 1, but questions emerged following his return on July 10 from a NATO summit in Ankara, where he traveled on an older aircraft. The New York Times reported that the new aircraft lacked comparable security measures, such as anti-missile defenses, prompting subpoenas for their journalists by the Trump administration.
When asked why he continued to fly on a plane not fully equipped with defensive capabilities, Trump explained, “It has a lot of features, but as I understand, in about a month, it will be sent for upgrades to fully maximize its security.” He added, “They will send it, and it’ll be fully equipped in about a month.”
During his remarks after returning to Washington from the World Cup final in New Jersey, Trump didn’t specify what enhancements would be made or what “maxed out” meant. The 80-year-old Republican has previously dismissed concerns about the aircraft’s security features, initially stating he sent it to Britain from Turkey so military personnel could view it.
The luxury aircraft was gifted last year by Qatar’s royal family after Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the aging jets that have served as the presidential fleet since 1990. Critics have raised ethical, constitutional, and security concerns, questioning the appropriateness of accepting a gift valued at hundreds of millions of dollars from a foreign government like Qatar.
The aircraft now bears a new livery designed by Trump, featuring red, white, and navy blue colors that differ from the original white and light blue scheme. Two additional Boeing Air Force One planes are scheduled for delivery later this decade, though their deployment has been delayed and costs have gone over initial estimates.
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