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[POLITICS] · United States, Qatar · 64 sources

Trump orders security upgrades for Qatar‑gifted Air Force One

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the Boeing 747‑8 donated by Qatar and used as a temporary Air Force One will be sent for a roughly one‑month “maxed out” upgrade to add missing security defenses. He made the statement after returning from the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, saying the aircraft “has a lot of capability, but as I understand it, in about a month … they’re going to send it to have it be maxed out.” The upgrade follows Secret Service and media reports that the jet lacks the full anti‑missile suite of the older VC‑25 aircraft. Experts noted that a month may only allow limited non‑kinetic measures such as electronic jammers, infrared dazzlers and chaff, and questioned whether more extensive modifications are feasible in that time. The plane, valued at about $400 million, was gifted by Qatar in 2025, refitted by L3Harris, and was intended as a bridge until Boeing delivers its next‑generation VC‑25B in 2028. The New York Times reported the Secret Service advised against using the jet, and the White House launched an investigation into leaks about its security shortfalls.

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