Questions arise over new Air Force One after Trump uses old plane
The Secret Service advised that President Trump take the old plane to depart Turkey, according to people briefed on the situation.
Updated on: July 9, 2026 / 2:32 PM EDT / CBS News
The White House insists the new Air Force One is fitted with high-level security features. But the Secret Service suggested that the president take the old plane, which is equipped with secure communication systems and sophisticated military defenses, according to people briefed on the situation and who spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity to discuss national security concerns. The Secret Service declined to comment.
But the new plane that Qatar donated to the U.S. for presidential flights was hurried into service and is lacking some desired capabilities, U.S. officials told CBS News.
The president traveled in an older version of the presidential plane when he left the NATO summit in Turkey, instead of the new plane that had carried him to Ankara. He then returned to the new Qatari-gifted and retrofitted plane when he landed in the United Kingdom later in the day.
The decision was made to ensure the president's ability to manage the war with Iran from the air, as well as in the interest of his security, the people said. The recommendation was not based on a specific or credible threat, but rather as a precautionary measure amid the ongoing war, according to the sources.