Trump switches back to old Air Force One, raising questions about Qatari jet
Asked if an assassination threat prompted the move, the US president did not answer directly but said: ‘I’m No 1 on the kill list for Iran’
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was leaving Turkey aboard an older Air Force One aircraft rather than a recently renovated Qatari-donated jet, an unexpected switch that renewed scrutiny of the costly, fast-tracked retrofit.
The trip to Turkey, the first international travel for the new plane, took place as hostilities escalated with Iran, a country that borders Turkey.
The switch follows months of scrutiny over the luxury gift intended to serve as a temporary replacement while Boeing struggles to deliver long-delayed next-generation Air Force One planes.
Critics questioned the cost, security and pace of the retrofit.
Trump said on social media that he would use an older Air Force One plane “for old time’s sake” to fly to RAF Mildenhall in Britain while the new plane stops at the same base so US service members stationed there can tour the aircraft.
The new plane is a Boeing 747 gifted to the US by Qatar last year and refitted by defence contractor L3Harris Technologies.