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Less than a month after President Donald Trump's new Qatar-gifted Air Force One made its first official flight from Washington to North Dakota, Trump said the new plane will be sent for upgrades following concerns about security features.
When asked about whether the newly renovated airplane lacked missile-defense capabilities, Trump said that while the new plane "has a lot of capability," it is being sent to be "maxed out." The president did not elaborate further on what the process would entail.
"As I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re gonna send it to have it be maxed out … It’ll take about a month,” Trump said after his trip to New Jersey for the FIFA World Cup final.
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White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, in an emailed statement to USA TODAY, said July 20 the "new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the President’s travels, but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall which will take approximately one month to complete."
"During that time, the President will fly on the old Air Force One," Leavitt said.
After accepting the Boeing 747 as a gift last year, Trump started flying aboard the jumbo jet on July 1 following an accelerated effort to renovate it for presidential use. But concerns remained that the plane may not be as secure as the Air Force One that preceded it.
On July 8, Trump, amid renewed hostilities with Iran, unexpectedly flew on an older Air Force One from Turkey to the Royal Air Force base at Mildenhall in Britain, in a move he said was "for old time's sake." The new plane stopped at the same base so U.S. service members stationed there could tour the aircraft.
USA TODAY reported the Secret Service urged the White House to use the old plane to leave Turkey, though Trump at the time denied security concerns were involved.
However, he said, “You know the life of a president is very dangerous,” adding “I’m No. 1 on the kill list for Iran.”
White House communications director Steven Cheung, in a statement, referred to the new plane as "a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff."
"As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal – including distraction and misdirection – to address those threats," Cheung said.
Trump admin subpoenas NYT reporters
The New York Times on July 11 said the Department of Justice had ordered several of its journalists to testify before a federal grand jury after they reported on security concerns regarding Air Force One, USA TODAY previously reported.
The media organization said subpoenas were issued July 10, asking that the journalists appear before a grand jury on July 15 to testify "in regard to an alleged violation of federal criminal law."
'Palace in the sky'
The new Air Force One – a Boeing 747-B that Trump accepted from the Qatari royal family in May 2025 – has been dubbed a "palace in the sky." It replaced a Boeing 747-200 that was completed in 1990 and served as Air Force One for six presidents, dating back to George H. W. Bush.
The new plane is painted in shiny red, white and blue and features the presidential seal and the words "United States of America" along its side.
It stretches 18 feet, 4 inches longer than the outgoing Air Force One, can carry more weight, and fly slightly faster and farther, though both planes hold about the same number of passengers and have the same height.
The plane, however, isn't expected to operate as Air Force One beyond 2028.
This story was updated with new information.
Contributing: Joey Garrison, Lucia Mutikani, Jarret Renshaw / USA TODAY / Reuters
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says new Air Force One is being sent to be 'maxed out'
