Qatar's $400m Air Force One gift undergoing interior updates as security
Qatar's gifted Air Force One is undergoing cosmetic and possible security upgrades after Trump said it would be maxed out this month.
The new Air Force One, a $400 million gift from the Qatari royal family, is currently undergoing cosmetic interior upgrades, an administration official told ABC News. President Trump said in September the plane would be sent away to be maxed out for about 60 days, including security measures.
The White House has not confirmed whether security upgrades are included or when the project will finish. The new plane was unveiled in June and has already been involved in security incidents, including an accidental emergency slide trigger.
In July, Trump secretly switched to the older Air Force One while leaving the NATO summit in Turkey after Iranian threats. US officials told ABC News that the new plane lacked the anti-missile capabilities of the previous model.
- $400 million
- Gift value
- About 60 days
- Planned downtime
- Approximately 14 years old
- Plane age
- September 16 to North Carolina
- Last documented trip
Why it mattersExtended downtime for the presidential jet means Trump cannot fly it to major diplomatic summits scheduled in November in the Philippines and China, raising questions about security readiness.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect, though if Trump attends APEC in China in November, the downtime will affect his travel capacity for the region.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
Open this story in InSnip →
