President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the Qatar-donated aircraft currently serving as Air Force One will soon undergo extensive upgrades, responding to growing concerns about the plane’s security capabilities.
Trump began using the jumbo jet on July 1 after accepting it as a gift last year. A rushed renovation effort was launched to prepare the Boeing 747 for presidential use. However, on July 8, Trump unexpectedly switched to an older Air Force One during a flight from Turkey to the United Kingdom, citing what he called a move “for old time’s sake” amid heightened tensions with Iran. He later returned to the newer aircraft for the trip back to the United States.
On Sunday, while heading home after attending the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, Trump was questioned about whether the refitted jet lacked missile-defense systems.
“It has a lot of capability,” Trump said of the aircraft. “But as I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re gonna send it to have it be maxed out…It’ll take about a month.”
The Air Force did not provide an immediate response when asked for comment.
The aircraft features red, white, dark blue, and gold exterior colors personally selected by Trump. The renovation work was carried out by defense contractor L3Harris Technologies.
The Qatar jet is intended to serve as a stopgap while Boeing continues to fall behind on delivering next-generation presidential aircraft. Boeing is under a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract, signed in 2018, to build two purpose-built 747-8 planes. That project is now four years behind schedule and over budget, with delivery now expected around mid-2028.
Security experts raised concerns that the rapid pace of the Qatar jet’s renovation may have left it less secure than the familiar baby blue Air Force One it temporarily replaced. Critics have also raised questions about the cost and the appropriateness of accepting such a gift from a foreign government.
Earlier this month, journalists from the New York Times who had reported on the new plane’s security features were subpoenaed. The Times has since gone to court seeking to block those orders requiring its reporters to appear before a grand jury in Manhattan federal court.
