Trump avoids Qatari-gifted Air Force One over security concerns

Trump left Turkey after the NATO summit on the older Air Force One instead of the Qatari-gifted Boeing 747-8, after the Secret Service advised against using the newly refurbished aircraft because of possible security concerns. The decision put a spotlight on the tension at the center of the plane’s rollout: a $400 million symbol of presidential prestige that still raised questions about whether it was ready for the most sensitive missions.

The aircraft, gifted by Qatar and intended to serve as a temporary Air Force One while Boeing works on the next-generation presidential jet, had flown ahead to RAF Mildenhall in England earlier in the day. Trump then switched to the new plane in Britain for the flight back to Washington, extending a journey that unfolded as hostilities between the United States and Iran were escalating, adding urgency to the security review around the trip.

The episode came after months of scrutiny over the jet’s cost, retrofit timeline and vetting. CBS News reported in July 2025 that preparations to refit the aircraft were already underway, including review of floor plans and schematics by senior U.S. officials. The U.S. Air Force also leased a 747-8 last year so pilots and maintenance crews could begin training on the new model, a sign that the plane’s entry into service had been moving on several tracks at once.

The White House has said the aircraft is safe, secure and equipped with the technology needed for the presidential mission, but the Secret Service’s decision in Turkey suggested not every capability was yet trusted in every setting. That concern landed at a delicate moment for a plane that Trump publicly unveiled on June 21, 2026, and then used for his first trip aboard it on July 1, 2026, when he flew to North Dakota. The latest switch showed that, even after its high-profile debut, the Qatari jet remains under closer scrutiny than a routine presidential aircraft.