WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump will return to an older Air Force One for about a month while the new aircraft gifted by Qatar undergoes what the White House calls “additional upgrades and enhancements.” The White House said Monday that the work is expected to take place in the fall.
Trump’s use of the new red, white and navy blue aircraft has faced scrutiny because it was gifted by a foreign government and because it appears not to be equipped with some of the missile detection and countermeasure systems on the older jets.
The aircraft came under further scrutiny this month after Trump left the NATO summit in Turkey aboard the older, baby blue Air Force One and made a previously unscheduled stop at a base in the United Kingdom. Trump then switched back to the Qatari-gifted aircraft at Royal Air Force Mildenhall.
“The new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the President’s travels, but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall which will take approximately one month to complete,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday. “During that time, the President will fly on the old Air Force One.”
Leavitt’s statement elaborated on a comment Trump made as he returned to Washington on Sunday night, when he told reporters that the new aircraft would be sent to be “maxed out.” Earlier this month, Trump said the stop in the United Kingdom was so U.S. troops at Mildenhall could look at the aircraft. He denied that the plane switch was due to security concerns, while also saying that he has a threat against him “all the time” and is Iran’s “No. 1” target.