President Donald Trump made a sudden decision to switch Air Force One aircraft while departing Turkey after the NATO summit, using the old Air Force One to travel to a base in England before switching back to the new Air Force One gifted by Qatar to return to the United States amid rumors about the new plane's incomplete security systems and escalating tensions with Iran.
President Donald Trump departed Turkey on Wednesday, 8 Jul 2020 GMT+7, aboard the old Air Force One instead of the brand-new Boeing 747 gifted by the Qatari royal family, which he initially used for the mission.
This abrupt aircraft switch during the new plane’s first overseas trip occurred while U.S.-Iran tensions—bordering Turkey—were intensifying following a fresh U.S. attack on Iran.
Additionally, major outlet The New York Times reported, citing anonymous sources, that the switch was at the request of the U.S. presidential security detail as a precaution because the newly refurbished plane lacked certain safety features compared to the old Air Force One. However, sources clarified the decision was not due to any specific threat.
Meanwhile, reporters aboard the old Air Force One said that during takeoff from Turkey, officials ordered all cabin window shades to be closed without prior explanation.
At a press briefing after the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Trump declined to directly answer whether there was a systematic assassination threat but acknowledged ongoing risks.
"I am the number one target on Iran’s hit list," Trump told reporters. "I mention this often because the president’s life is very dangerous. I don’t know, I can’t tell you, but I don’t care."
Later, after arriving in England and boarding the new plane, Trump joked with reporters, "You probably were on the dangerous flight because of the bad actors we have to deal with," likely referring to Iran, whom he called "sick people."
Subsequently, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social explaining the incident, stating he intentionally sent the new plane ahead to the Royal Air Force Mildenhall base in England so U.S. troops stationed there could be the first group to see it.
"Everyone was very excited, and we thought they should be the first to see it. For me, to reminisce, we would take the old Air Force One from Turkey," Trump said, sharing a photo with welcoming military personnel in England. Later that evening, he boarded the new Air Force One to fly back to Washington, D.C.
The new plane is a Boeing 747-8 gifted by the Qatari royal family last year after Trump frequently complained about the deteriorated condition of the two old Air Force One planes used since the 1990s. The plane was rapidly upgraded with security and communications systems by defense contractor L3Harris Technologies and first flew Trump on 1 July 2020 GMT+7.
However, accepting a gift worth hundreds of millions of dollars from a foreign government sparked intense criticism and constitutional, ethical, and security questions from Democratic legislators. The modification cost is estimated to exceed $1 billion USD (around 33 billion baht), but some processes were cut to expedite delivery.
Under the original 2018 contract, Boeing was to deliver two specially built new Air Force One planes under a $3.9 billion USD budget. The project is now delayed over four years, with costs overrunning $5 billion USD, and delivery expected by mid-2028, possibly after Trump’s term ends in January 2029, forcing reliance on Qatar’s secondhand plane as a temporary backup.