President Trump departed the NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month aboard an older Air Force One jet instead of the newer aircraft donated by Qatar. This change in travel arrangements followed the detection of a credible threat against the president from Iran and its allied proxy groups, U.S. officials confirmed. According to these officials, the United States detected a specific plot to fire a missile at the president's plane, prompting the U.S. Secret Service to swiftly implement a backup strategy. The emergence of these threats from Iranian proxies was first reported by The New York Times.
The president had initially arrived in the Turkish capital of Ankara on the newer Air Force One, a $400 million Boeing 747-8 that the U.S. government accepted as a gift from Qatar last year. The aircraft had spent several months undergoing retrofitting to prepare it for presidential transport. After the summit concluded, Mr. Trump flew from Ankara to the United Kingdom on the older Air Force One model, before eventually switching back to the newer plane to finish his trip back to the United States.
The decision to swap aircraft raised questions regarding the security of the new jet. At the time, it was reported that the president utilized the older plane at the suggestion of the Secret Service as a precautionary measure amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran war. Sources familiar with the matter noted that the older planes serving as Air Force One are equipped with specialized laser technology designed to blind incoming missiles, alongside other diversionary systems intended to misdirect munitions. It remains unclear what specific defensive systems are currently installed on the newer Qatari-donated jet.
Earlier this week, the White House stated that Mr. Trump will continue to fly in the older aircraft while the new 747 undergoes further upgrades. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained in a statement that the new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the president's travels, but will receive additional enhancements in the fall that will take approximately one month to complete. During that period, the president will continue to fly on the old Air Force One. Mr. Trump told reporters that the plane already possesses significant capability, but will be fully upgraded over the next month.
As the war with Iran continues to escalate, the president has acknowledged potential threats to his safety. Earlier this month, he wrote on Truth Social that 1,000 missiles were "Locked and Loaded" for immediate use if Iran attempts to assassinate him. He further stated that orders have already been given and the U.S. military is ready, willing, and able to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran for a one-year period, which is subject to extension.
