US Secret Service Advises Trump to Use Older Air Force One Amid Iran Tensions

The US Secret Service recommended that President Donald Trump fly from Turkey on the older Air Force One aircraft rather than the newly refurbished Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar, as a security precaution amid renewed hostilities with Iran. Sources familiar with the flight planning told The New York Times that the decision was influenced by differences in security capabilities between the two planes, although no specific threat prompted the change.

The new Boeing 747-8, donated by Qatar, departed earlier from the NATO summit in Turkey to the Royal Air Force base in Mildenhall, England. Trump claimed the switch was to allow military personnel to tour the new plane, denying security concerns despite acknowledging he is "number one on Iran's kill list." Passengers on the older plane were instructed to keep window shades closed during the flight, and the plane's tracking transmitter was only activated after crossing the Black Sea near Istanbul.

The older Air Force One is equipped with advanced defensive systems, including missile dazzling and flare countermeasures, whose presence on the new plane remains unclear. The rapid refurbishment of the new aircraft, completed in about a year, raised questions about whether it meets the same security standards. Democratic senators have demanded transparency from the Air Force, accusing the administration of prioritizing luxury over safety.

Trump first flew on the refurbished plane last week during a visit to North Dakota. The new Air Force One is expected to serve until shortly before the end of Trump's term, after which ownership will transfer to the Trump Presidential Library Foundation. The Air Force estimates the cost of modifications to the gifted plane at under $400 million.