Donald Trump swaps Air Force One planes amid Iran‑related security concerns
President Donald Trump attended the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey on a newly retrofitted Boeing 747‑8 donated by Qatar. After the summit he departed Turkey on the older VC‑25A Air Force One, flying to RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. The new Qatari‑gifted jet was sent ahead to the base so U.S. service members could tour it, and Trump boarded it there for the final leg to Washington. Trump said he chose the older aircraft “for old‑time’s sake” and emphasized that he is “No. 1 on the kill list for Iran.” White House officials described the swap as a precaution, noting the rapid conversion of the Qatari plane left it without some missile‑detection, EMP‑protective and other self‑defense systems that the legacy Air Force One carries. The Secret Service reportedly urged Trump to use the older jet given the heightened U.S.–Iran tensions, and Democratic lawmakers have questioned the plane’s security readiness. Experts confirm the new aircraft lacks several standard defensive suites, while Boeing’s next‑generation VC‑25B presidential jets remain delayed until at least 2028. Trump denied that security concerns dictated the change, framing the stop as a goodwill gesture for the troops.