President Donald Trump announced that the new Air Force One jet, a Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar, will be "maxed out" with security features. The President indicated that the aircraft would be out of service for approximately one month for these upgrades.
The announcement follows security concerns raised after the jet's first operational flight on July 1. The plane subsequently carried Trump to the NATO summit.
Prior to his departure from the summit, the Secret Service reportedly recommended that Trump use the older Air Force One aircraft as a precautionary measure, citing differences in security capabilities. Reports indicated that the new jet might not possess the same anti-missile defense systems as its predecessor. Trump's comments on Sunday were a direct response to questions about these reports.
The luxury jet, valued at approximately $400 million, was a foreign gift that prompted scrutiny from some lawmakers and ethics experts. Trump had previously credited the Qatari government for the donation, stating that the U.S. could not afford to build such an aircraft.
The U.S. Air Force has been modifying the gifted jet since September to meet the president's security and communication requirements. The initial estimate for retrofitting the aircraft was less than $400 million, though the total expenditure and specific details of the modifications are classified.
The gifted plane is slated to serve as the new Air Force One until shortly before the end of Trump's term, after which ownership is expected to transfer to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation.