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Donald Trump has acknowledged that the luxury Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar’s royal family lacks the full defensive capabilities of the standard Air Force One fleet and will soon be grounded to undergo extensive upgrades.

The president traveled aboard the aircraft to Turkey earlier this month but switched to a standard Air Force One jet for the return journey, reportedly on Secret Service advice.

The gift has sparked debate on several fronts, particularly after Trump announced that it would be used during his presidency before ultimately being transferred to his future presidential library.

Donald Trump Says Jet Gift Will Soon Be Grounded

Donald Trump will have to make do without his $400 million luxury jet gift in the coming months after acknowledging that it lacks the high-end defensive capabilities of a true presidential aircraft and must be grounded so it can be “maxed out” with upgrades.

He made the admission while speaking to reporters in front of the aircraft at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sunday after attending the closing ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he presented the trophy alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Upon landing, Trump addressed lingering questions about the plane’s security configuration after reporters asked why he continued flying on an aircraft without full anti-missile defenses.

“Well, it has, it has a lot, and you know it has a lot of capability, but as I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re going to send it to have it be maxed out,” he said, per The Guardian. “So they’re going to be sending it, and they’ll have it be maxed out. It’ll take about a month.”

Trump Returns To The Old Air Force One

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Trump did not specify the exact upgrades the aircraft will receive. However, unlike the purpose-built VC-25A that has served U.S. presidents for decades, the gifted Boeing lacks key defensive systems, including infrared countermeasures designed to divert heat-seeking missiles, along with sensors that detect and disrupt incoming threats.

The standard Air Force One fleet also features protection against electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks and hardened communications systems, making it significantly more secure than the Qatari aircraft, which was never designed with military-grade defenses.

The Air Force previously estimated that modifying the aircraft would cost roughly $400 million, although it remains unclear whether that figure includes the additional upgrades Trump referenced on Sunday.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the aircraft’s safety while confirming the timeline for the work, saying Trump would temporarily return to the older presidential jet.

“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,” Leavitt said in a statement to TIME. “During that time, the President will fly on the old Air Force One.”

Security Concerns Prompted Donald Trump’s Plane Switch

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The latest developments follow reports that the Secret Service advised Trump to switch to the older VC-25A presidential aircraft during his return from the NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, according to The New York Times.

After safely departing Turkey aboard the older aircraft, Trump switched back to the gifted Boeing during an unscheduled stop at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in England before continuing to the United States.

“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “It was on our way back to the States from Turkey, with virtually no deviation of flight path.”

Trump’s Plane Controversy Sparks Press Freedom Fight

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Later, while speaking with reporters, Trump denied that the aircraft swap was prompted by security concerns, insisting it was done so the Boeing could be displayed to U.S. service members stationed at the military base in England.

He also claimed that journalists traveling aboard the aircraft had been on a “dangerous flight because of the sleazebags that we have to deal with,” appearing to reference Iran amid heightened regional tensions.

The security concerns surrounding the aircraft later triggered a legal battle after the Justice Department subpoenaed several New York Times journalists in an effort to identify the newspaper’s confidential sources.

The newspaper has since asked a court to throw out the subpoenas, calling the move a “brazen act.”

“The appearance of federal law enforcement agents on the doorstep of news reporters should shock the conscience of any American who believes in the Constitution and the press freedom it protects,” newsroom attorney David McCraw said in a statement.

Donald Trump Defends Controversial Plane Gift

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The Boeing 747-8 was accepted as a temporary solution while Boeing continues work on two long-delayed replacement presidential aircraft.

Even so, the Qatari donation has continued to draw scrutiny from ethics watchdogs and lawmakers, who have questioned whether accepting such a gift from a foreign government raises constitutional concerns.

Critics have pointed to the Constitution’s Foreign Emoluments Clause, which bars federal officials from accepting gifts from foreign states without congressional approval.

Trump has repeatedly defended the arrangement, arguing that the aircraft was gifted to the U.S. government, not to him personally, even though it is expected to be transferred to his presidential library foundation after he leaves office.

“The Boeing 747 is being given to the United States Air Force/Department of Defense, NOT TO ME! It is a gift from a Nation, Qatar, that we have successfully defended for many years,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The Donald Trump’s $400M Jet Gift From Qatar Set To Be Grounded first appeared on The Blast