US President Donald Trump reportedly switched from a Boeing 747-8 recently gifted by Qatar to the older Air Force One before leaving Turkey earlier this month after intelligence agencies received inputs about a “credible threat” from Iranian proxy forces allegedly targeting him.
The security alert emerged during Trump’s visit to Ankara for the NATO summit, as per The New York Times. He had arrived in Turkey aboard the Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8, which has yet to be equipped with the advanced defensive systems installed on the primary Air Force One aircraft.
The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the matter, stated the US Secret Service advised to change aircraft before departing Turkey after identifying the threat. Although the intelligence suggested Iranian proxy forces were targeting Trump himself rather than the aircraft, officials reportedly viewed the newer Boeing’s relatively limited defensive capabilities as posing a greater security risk.
CBS News later corroborated the report on Friday, saying the US Secret Service approved the aircraft change after intelligence agencies warned of “a credible plot to fire a missile at the plane.”
Trump had flown to Ankara aboard the Boeing 747-8, valued at approximately USD 400 million, which the United States accepted as a gift from Qatar last year and subsequently modified for presidential use. After the summit, he travelled from Ankara to the United Kingdom on the older Air Force One before returning to the Qatari-donated aircraft for the flight back to the US.
The incident has reignited questions over the security capabilities of the newly acquired aircraft. According to CBS News, citing people familiar with the matter, the legacy Air Force One is equipped with sophisticated defensive systems, including laser technology designed to disable incoming missiles, as well as countermeasures that can divert or confuse hostile projectiles.
It is not known which defensive systems have been installed on the Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8.
‘For old time’s sake,’ says Trump on why he chose to fly older Air Force One
Earlier this month, Trump did not attribute his decision to switch aircraft to security concerns, telling reporters he chose to fly on the older Air Force One “for old time’s sake”. He added that although the newer aircraft already “has a lot of capability”, it would be “maxed out” over the next month as further technical enhancements were completed.
In recent months, Trump has repeatedly spoken about alleged against his life. He has previously said he instructed the US military to destroy Iran “at levels they’ve never seen before” if Tehran carried out what he described as longstanding assassination plots targeting him.
The revelations come as the Trump administration weighs additional military options against Tehran after the collapse of a recent ceasefire.
“We are talking to them. I think they’re being serious. I think … they are being by far the most serious that we’ve seen them, but that doesn’t mean we get there. We’ll see what happens,” Trump said at the White House on Friday.
“We’re locked and loaded. We’re ready to go,” he added.
(With inputs from ANI)
