Trump says Qatari-gifted Air Force One is headed for upgrades
The president said the Boeing 747-8 will be sent away for about a month after questions over its security capabilities.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
President Donald Trump said the new Air Force One jet donated by Qatar is due to be sent away for upgrades for about a month, after questions grew over whether the aircraft has the security systems expected of a presidential plane.
Trump addressed the issue Sunday while returning from the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, according to NBC News. Asked by reporters whether the aircraft lacked missile-defense capabilities, he said the plane has “a lot of capability,” but added that he understood it would soon be sent out to be “maxed out.”
Trump said the work would happen in “about a month or so” and would take roughly a month, NBC News reported. He did not say what upgrades would be made or which systems would be involved.
The aircraft, a Boeing 747-8, was given by Qatar’s royal family in 2025 for Trump’s use as the new Air Force One, according to NBC News. Trump began using it this month.
The jet has already become a political and security flashpoint. Earlier this month, Trump returned from a NATO summit in Turkey aboard a different presidential aircraft, a decision that drew attention because he did not use the newly donated plane.
At the time, Trump denied that security concerns drove the switch, NBC News reported. He told reporters that “the life of a president is very dangerous” and later said he was “No. 1 on the kill list for Iran.”
NBC News reported that the Secret Service had urged Trump to use the older plane for the trip home from Turkey because he was leaving from a location near the Middle East and because the United States had just resumed hostilities with Iran.
The questions around the aircraft have also drawn Justice Department attention. NBC News reported that four New York Times journalists were subpoenaed this month after writing stories about security concerns tied to the new Air Force One.
Trump formally welcomed the jet’s delivery in June at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, according to NBC News. At that appearance, he described it as a “flying White House” with an unmatched level of luxury.
The aircraft’s look also marks a visual break from the familiar presidential plane. NBC News reported that the Qatari-donated jet uses a red, white and dark-blue color scheme, rather than the lighter blue long associated with previous Air Force One aircraft.
Trump took the plane on a July 1 trip to North Dakota for a museum event honoring Theodore Roosevelt, NBC News reported.
The Qatari-donated jet is intended to serve as a temporary replacement while Boeing continues work on delayed next-generation Air Force One planes. Reuters has reported that those aircraft are expected in 2028.
For now, Trump’s own account leaves the plane’s next chapter only partly clear: it is set for more work, the president says the job should take about a month, and the administration has not detailed what will be changed.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.