Trump says new Air Force One will be sent to get ‘maxed out’ for upgrades - NBC News

What the report says

NBC News reported that President Donald Trump said a Qatar-donated Boeing 747-8 now serving as a new Air Force One will be sent for upgrades, following questions about its security systems and readiness. Speaking to reporters Sunday after returning from the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, Trump was asked whether the aircraft lacked missile-defense capabilities. He said the plane has “a lot of capability” but indicated it would be sent away in roughly a month to be “maxed out,” with the work expected to take about a month.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that Trump would use the older Air Force One while the newer aircraft receives additional enhancements in the fall. A senior administration official told NBC News the work is planned for September, though it was unclear whether it would happen before or after Trump’s expected trip to the Irish Open at his golf resort in Doonbeg, Ireland. The official said the plane is still considered safe for domestic flights and travel to Europe.

The issue drew attention after Trump left a NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month on a different presidential aircraft. Trump denied at the time that security concerns prompted the change, but NBC News reported the Secret Service had advised using the older plane because he was departing from near the Middle East after the U.S. had resumed hostilities with Iran.

NBC News said the Qatar royal family donated the luxury jet last year as a temporary replacement while Boeing works on delayed next-generation Air Force One planes expected in 2028. Trump received it at Joint Base Andrews in June and first flew on it July 1 to North Dakota.