Donald Trump just admitted his brand-new Air Force One isn’t quite finished yet. The U.S. President revealed what’s next for the controversial Qatari-donated jet after questions about its security.
Donald Trump says Qatari Air Force One is going for more upgrades
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on Sunday that the Qatari-donated Air Force One jet will soon undergo further upgrades, Reuters reports. Trump made the remarks while returning from the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey. He addressed questions about whether the newly renovated aircraft lacked missile-defense capabilities.
“It has a lot of capability,” Trump said of the plane. “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 immediately respond to a request for comment on the planned enhancements.
Trump began flying aboard the jumbo jet on July 1 after accepting it as a gift last year. An accelerated renovation effort then transformed the Boeing 747 for presidential use. Defense contractor L3Harris Technologies handled the refitting of the aircraft.
The president unexpectedly switched planes during a July 8 flight from Turkey to the United Kingdom. Rising hostility with Iran prompted the mid-trip change to an older Air Force One. Trump described the switch as a move “for old time’s sake” before later reboarding the new plane.
The Qatari jet features red, white, dark blue and gold livery that Trump personally chose. It serves as a temporary replacement while Boeing works on long-delayed next-generation presidential aircraft. Boeing holds a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract signed in 2018 for two purpose-built 747-8s. That project now runs four years behind schedule and over budget, with delivery expected in mid-2028.
The rapid upgrades to the Qatari jet previously raised concerns among some experts about security shortcomings. Critics also questioned the cost and propriety of accepting the gift from Qatar. New York Times journalists who reported on the aircraft’s security features faced subpoenas earlier this month.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Mandatory.com.
