Topline
President Donald Trump is for now ditching the new gifted Qatari jet days after his first international flight on the plane, prompting questions about its security capabilities after Trump restarted the war with Iran on Wednesday.
President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Ellesworth Air Force Base in South Dakota on July 3, 2026. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Trump left Ankara, Turkey, on the old Air Force One jet after flying there on the Boeing 747 gifted to the U.S. by Qatar last year.
Trump told reporters in Turkey and said in a post on Truth Social he was flying home on the old plane because the Qatari jet was headed to RAF Mildenhall, a U.S. Air Force base in Suffolk, England, and “two or three” other bases in Europe so service members could tour the aircraft, calling the detour to England a “short trip,” though it’s unclear exactly how long the plane will be there.
When asked by a reporter on Wednesday if the switch was related to the reignited military conflict with Iran and Trump’s own admission that he’s at risk of assassination, Trump did not address any security concerns about the plane, but reiterated, “I’m number one on the kill list for Iran.”
The Trump administration fast-tracked security upgrades for the jet (which typically take years to complete) to begin transporting the president last week, raising concerns it lacks the proper defense systems.
Retired CIA officer and MS NOW security analyst Marc Polymeropoulos tweeted that “Secret Service as USAF pleas must have won out, over Trump’s vanity project,” adding that the plane is “just not ready for prime time overseas.”
Former Biden Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall also told MS NOW last week it’s likely the typical Air Force One security standards for the plane were lowered since it usually takes years and billions of dollars to turn an aircraft into an Air Force One plane, noting he questions whether it has the specific command and control capabilities and “protective measures that Air Force Ones have against different types of threats that might be employed against the aircraft.”
Forbes has reached out to the White House for comment.
Contra
An unnamed senior Trump administration official insisted to MS NOW “there were no shortcuts taken” to secure the plane and it “went through the same safety protocols that every Air Force One has gone through in accordance with FAA standards, and it is an FAA-certified aircraft.” An Air Force spokesperson said, “we are confident the aircraft is safe, secure and equipped with the most advanced technologies necessary to meet the requirements of the presidential mission. To accelerate delivery, we prioritized critical mission requirements over aesthetics.”
Tangent
Trump said the U.S. would “probably” strike Iran again Wednesday night after saying earlier in the day the ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. was “over” and calling ongoing negotiations between the two sides a “waste of time.”
Key Background
The Trump administration accepted the gifted plane in May last year and Trump took his inaugural flight on the plane last week when he traveled to North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. The Air Force has said it spent less than $400 million on security upgrades to the plane, though some experts have estimated the cost is likely closer to $1 billion. The jet is intended to serve as a “bridge” aircraft used temporarily by Trump while Boeing builds two new custom planes that are years behind schedule. The gift has drawn widespread conflict-of-interest concerns, though Trump has claimed it was purely a gift that Qatar seeks nothing in return for. He intends for it to go to his presidential library in Miami after leaving office, though it’s unclear if Trump has the authority to determine its fate.
further reading
Trump Threatens Fresh Iran Strikes After Declaring Ceasefire ‘Over’ (Forbes)
Trump Said Gifted Qatari Jet Was ‘Free’—But Renovation Cost Could Reportedly Near $1 Billion (Forbes)
Republicans Question Trump’s Plan To Accept Luxury Plane Gift From Qatar (Forbes)