Trump grounds Qatari-gifted Air Force One for month-long security upgrade after Iran scare

Announcement and timeline

President Donald Trump said on Sunday, July 19, that the Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar and used as Air Force One will be sent for upgrades to be "maxed out," a process he said would take about a month. The White House later confirmed the retrofit will occur this fall, with spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt stating the plane is "perfectly safe" but will receive additional enhancements. Trump made the remarks after returning from the FIFA World Cup final in New Jersey, when a reporter asked why he was flying an aircraft reportedly lacking a missile-defense system. The president responded that the jet "has a lot of capability" but would be upgraded soon.

It has a lot of capability. But as I understand it, in about a month or so, they're gonna send it to have it be maxed out... It'll take about a month.

The new plane, a 14-year-old Boeing 747-8, was accepted as a gift from Qatar in May 2025 and refitted by L3Harris Technologies. It entered service on July 1, 2026, but was abruptly swapped for an older Air Force One on July 8 during Trump's return from the NATO summit in Ankara.

Security gaps and expert doubts

The standard Air Force One fleet carries anti-missile systems, electromagnetic pulse hardening, and other defenses that the Qatari jet lacks. Douglas Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, said the White House "appears to have accepted a lower baseline of protection" to get the plane flying quickly. He estimated that any work completed within a month would likely be limited to non-kinetic systems such as electronic jammers, infrared dazzlers to confuse heat-seeking missiles, and chaff dispensers. Birkey noted that infrared-guided missiles are a growing concern because they are harder to detect than radar-guided threats.

The standard Air Force One fleet carries a sophisticated suite of protections, including anti-missile systems, but the White House appears to have accepted a lower baseline of protection for the Qatari jet in order to get it flying quickly.

The Dutch daily de Volkskrant reported that the plane also lacks protection against electromagnetic pulses from a nuclear explosion, a feature present on the purpose-built presidential aircraft. The Air Force did not comment on the specific upgrades planned.

The July 8 switch and Iran threat

Trump flew the new jet to Ankara for the NATO summit but switched to an older plane for the leg to the United Kingdom on July 8. The New York Times reported that U.S. officials had been warned Iran was targeting Trump, and the Secret Service advised against using the Qatari aircraft for the return trip. Trump publicly described the switch as a move "for old time's sake," but later boarded the new plane to return to the U.S. The incident intensified scrutiny of the jet's security readiness.

Leak investigation and subpoenas

Following the New York Times report on the security deficiencies, the Justice Department opened an investigation into the leak. Several Times journalists received subpoenas to testify before a grand jury in Manhattan federal court. The newspaper has asked a court to block the orders, arguing they violate press freedom. The White House and Trump have denied that security concerns prompted the aircraft switch.

Background: a controversial gift

Qatar's royal family donated the luxury jet, valued at $400 million, after Trump complained that the existing Air Force One planes, in service since 1990, were outdated and not representative enough for foreign travel. The gift drew criticism over potential conflicts of interest. The refurbished plane features a red, white, dark blue, and gold livery chosen by Trump. Boeing is building two purpose-built 747-8s under a $3.9 billion contract signed in 2018, but delivery has slipped to mid-2028, four years behind schedule.