President Donald Trump switched jets as he left Turkey on Wednesday, after the Secret Service urged him not to fly in the Mideast on his new Air Force One during renewed hostilities with Iran.
Trump had flown to Ankara aboard the Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar, but returned partway on an older presidential aircraft. People briefed on the plans told The New York Times the change was a security precaution, not a response to a specific threat.
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A last-minute switch out of Ankara
Still, the switch raises fresh questions about the Qatari-donated jet, which Trump had sought to bring into service quickly. Lawmakers and some officials have questioned whether the accelerated retrofit allowed enough time to install the full range of security upgrades used to protect the president.
White House communications director Steven Cheung defended the aircraft, saying the new Air Force One has “high-level security protocols” to protect Trump and his staff.
But people briefed on the plane’s capabilities told the Times the newer aircraft does not have all the features of the older one. The older plane has been widely reported to have systems that can help detect and defend against incoming anti-aircraft missiles, including technology designed to blind missiles.
For old time’s sake
Trump denied that security concerns drove the change. He said the “magnificent” newer jet left early so troops at Mildenhall Air Force Base in England could tour it. He also said he was taking the older plane out of Ankara “for old time’s sake.”
At the same time, Trump repeatedly referred to the threat from Iran while speaking with reporters. After leaving Ankara, he said, passengers may have been told to close their window shades because they were “on a dangerous plane.”
When a reporter traveling with the president asked about the risk of an Iranian attack, Trump said he faces “a threat all the time.”
“I’m No. 1 on their list, before you,” Trump said. “But if I go, you go. So, perhaps — perhaps some of you want to change professions.”
The retrofit question
The unanswered question is how complete the new plane’s security retrofit is.
Industry and Pentagon officials have said a full upgrade could cost as much as $1 billion and take up to two years. The Air Force secretary told Congress the work would likely cost less than $400 million.
Trump took possession of the jet in 2025.
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