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U.S. President Donald Trump said the Qatari-donated Boeing 747 currently serving as Air Force One will soon be sent for additional upgrades aimed at maximizing its capabilities, addressing ongoing questions about the aircraft’s security features.
Speaking on Sunday after returning from the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, Trump said the aircraft would be taken out of service in about a month for further enhancements. While he emphasized that the jet already has significant capabilities, he said the upcoming work would ensure it is “maxed out,” with the upgrade process expected to take roughly one month.
Trump began using the aircraft on July 1 after accepting it as a gift from Qatar last year. The plane was rapidly refurbished by defense contractor L3Harris Technologies and temporarily introduced as Air Force One while Boeing continues to face delays in delivering the next-generation presidential aircraft.
Questions about the plane’s defensive systems intensified after Trump chose to fly aboard the older Air Force One during his trip from Turkey to the United Kingdom on July 8, amid heightened tensions with Iran. He later returned to the United States on the newer aircraft, explaining that the outbound flight on the older jet was “for old time’s sake.”
The Air Force has not commented on the reported upgrade schedule or the aircraft’s defensive capabilities.
The temporary presidential jet features a red, white, dark blue, and gold paint scheme selected by Trump. It is intended to bridge the gap until Boeing delivers two purpose-built 747-8 Air Force One aircraft under a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract signed in 2018. The project has fallen four years behind schedule and significantly over budget, with deliveries now expected in mid-2028.
The aircraft has also drawn scrutiny from security experts and critics, who questioned whether its accelerated refurbishment met the same security standards as previous Air Force One planes. Separately, New York Times journalists who reported on the aircraft’s security features were subpoenaed earlier this month, and the newspaper is seeking to block those subpoenas in federal court.
