Concerns about the new $400 million jet have come into focus since President Donald Trump unexpectedly ditched the plane on his return from a NATO summit in Turkey, saying it was headed to Mildenhall Air Base in England.<\/p>\n
The new Air Force One\u2019s legal, ethical and national security questions remain as Trump takes inaugural flight<\/p>\n
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\n U.S. President Donald Trump steps out of the new Air Force One, gifted to him by by Qatar, in a hangar at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on June 19, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI \/ AFP via Getty Images)(AFP via Getty Images\/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI)<\/p>\n
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\n U.S. President Donald Trump steps out of the new Air Force One, gifted to him by by Qatar, in a hangar at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on June 19, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI \/ AFP via Getty Images)(AFP via Getty Images\/BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI)<\/p>\n
(CNN) \u2014 US President Donald Trump said Sunday that the Qatari-donated jet<\/a> that has served as Air Force One will be sent for upgrades, appearing to acknowledge the plane is not as thoroughly outfitted as older aircrafts.<\/p>\n Stepping off the plane on his return from the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday, Trump was asked about the newly renovated plane\u2019s missile-defense capabilities, amid reports that the new jet is not as secure as the old one.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has a lot of capability but, as I understand it, in about a month or so they\u2019re going to send it to have it be maxed out,\u201d Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews.<\/p>\n Trump has privately seethed over reporting on the plane\u2019s security deficiencies, and his government has moved aggressively to investigate who talked to reporters about them. Chief of staff Susie Wiles and FBI Director Kash Patel have been personally involved in that effort<\/a>. A little over a week ago, officials were asked to turn over their phones at the White House.<\/p>\n The New York Times, which first reported on the security issues with the plane, said that four of its reporters were subpoenaed by the government.<\/p>\n Now \u2014 despite continuing to fly on the plane \u2014 Trump appears to be acknowledging the security concerns are real.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re going to be sending it, and they\u2019ll have it be maxed out. It\u2019ll take about a month,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Concerns about the new, $400 million Qatari-gifted jet first drew renewed scrutiny earlier this month when Trump unexpectedly ditched the jet<\/a> during his return from a NATO summit in Turkey and said he was sending the new plane ahead to Mildenhall air base in England.<\/p>\n Trump said at the time that the change in planes was simply to give US service members stationed at the base \u201ca chance to tour the Aircraft,\u201d downplaying the idea that security concerns were to blame.<\/p>\n But two sources familiar with the matter told CNN the newer plane did not possess the same capabilities to ensure its safety in international settings, though a third said it was equipped with many of the same features as the older plane. Security personnel felt more comfortable with the president aboard the older plane \u2013\u2013 which was built from scratch with the commander-in-chief\u2019s safety in mind \u2014 rather than the plane that had recently been retrofitted after it was donated by Qatar<\/a>, officials told CNN.<\/p>\n This story has been updated with additional context.<\/p>\n The-CNN-Wire
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