Trump flew home partway from NATO’s Ankara summit on an older Air Force One instead of his new Qatar-gifted jet, reviving security questions as U.S.-Iran hostilities flared anew.
President Donald Trump swapped Air Force One jets over Europe this week, flying home partway from NATO’s Ankara summit on an older plane before switching back, reviving questions about his new jet’s security.
Trump used the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft to fly to Ankara for the July 7-8 NATO leaders’ summit, then departed Turkey aboard an older VC-25A before switching back to the VC-25B at RAF Mildenhall in England for the flight home to Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. The switch came as the U.S. and Iran resumed trading strikes, according to AP-republished reporting, and raised fresh questions about whether the newer jet carries the same protective systems as the older fleet.
“Air Force One” is the radio call sign used whenever the president is aboard any Air Force aircraft, not the name of a single plane, according to Boeing and the George W. Bush White House archive.
Asked at Joint Base Andrews on Thursday whether a security concern prompted the switch, Trump said, “No, no.” He said the VC-25B was sent ahead to Mildenhall so troops could see it. “We sent it a little bit early so we could let them see it.” He added: “The base, the whole base came out and saw the plane.”
In a social media post, Trump offered a similar explanation: “We just landed and met up with our new Air Force One, which was sent earlier to RAF Mildenhall, so we could show the wonderful Servicemembers, as per the entire Base’s request.” He added that the personnel “were very excited.”
The New York Times first reported that Secret Service officials had recommended the older jet as a precaution amid the renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities; no specific threat has been officially disclosed. Trump has denied that security drove the decision. The Air Force has not detailed which classified defense systems the new jet carries, and officials have not said whether it matches the older fleet’s protections, according to The New York Times. Asked directly whether security concerns were behind the swap, Trump did not give a clear answer and instead said in Ankara that he was “No. 1 on the list for killing” by Iran.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara on Wednesday, Trump said he considered a ceasefire with Iran to be finished. “I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them anymore. They’re scum,” he said. Asked about potential strikes on Iranian electric and desalination plants, he said, “I don’t want to do that but if we have to, we’ll take them out.” Iran has for years signaled a desire for retaliation over the 2020 killing of Gen. Qasem Soleimani, a strike Trump ordered and said at the time was executed “at my direction.”
The VC-25B Bridge aircraft, a Boeing 747-8i originally gifted to the United States by Qatar, was delivered to the Air Force by contractor L3Harris Technologies on June 19 after a 10-month conversion that involved about 400 employees working around the clock in three shifts, according to Breaking Defense. Trump flew aboard it for the first time on a domestic trip to North Dakota on July 1, making the NATO summit trip to Turkey its first international presidential use.
“Through a trusted, fast-tracked partnership with the Air Force, we have proven that the U.S. defense industrial base can move at maximum velocity when the mission demands it,” said Christopher Kubasik, L3Harris’ chairman and CEO. Jason Lambert, president of the company’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance division, said the timeline required leaning on the workforce well before the contract was finalized, adding, “I don’t think it’s ever been done.”
The Air Force has said the Bridge aircraft is “safe, secure, and equipped with the most advanced technologies necessary to meet the requirements of the presidential mission.” But it also acknowledged trade-offs, saying, “No risk was taken in security, safety, or mission communications, but the collective team made trades on some of the less commonly used mission sets that Boeing must deliver to support the next 40 years.”
The Bridge jet is meant to serve as an interim presidential aircraft while the current VC-25A fleet ages and Boeing’s own next-generation VC-25B program, also based on the 747-8, remains under development. The two VC-25A aircraft now in service, tail numbers 28000 and 29000, are converted Boeing 747-200B jets that can carry more than 70 passengers and 30 crew members, with a range of about 7,800 statute miles and a cruising speed of 630 mph, according to the George W. Bush White House archive.
Trump defended accepting the Qatari jet last year, saying at the time, “We need a plane for a couple of years before we get the other ones because Boeing is very late.” Aviation observers and ethics experts had raised financial and security concerns about the gift, according to FlightGlobal.
The NATO summit in Ankara brought Allied leaders together at the Beştepe Presidential Compound to discuss collective defense, with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte telling attendees, “There is no strong defence without a strong defence industry.”
Key Takeaways
- Trump flew to NATO’s Ankara summit on the new VC-25B Bridge jet but returned home partway on an older VC-25A, switching back to the VC-25B at RAF Mildenhall.
- The swap coincided with renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities and revived questions about the new jet’s security systems, though Trump denied security drove the move.
- The VC-25B Bridge, a converted Qatari 747-8i, was delivered by L3Harris on June 19 after a 10-month conversion and is meant as an interim aircraft.
- Boeing’s own next-generation VC-25B replacement remains under development as the older VC-25A fleet continues flying.