Trump's Old Air Force One Stays Grounded Amid Iran Conflict

WHO:

NBC News - A source familiar with the president’s plans stated that the decision for Trump to depart on the old Air Force One was made out of an “abundance of caution.”

Alternet - Leon Panetta, former CIA Director, expressed skepticism about Trump's claimed reason for switching planes, stating, “I don't think there's any question that there are security concerns here.”

Alternet - Leon Panetta, former CIA Director, expressed skepticism about Trump's claimed reason for switching planes, stating, “I would be very concerned about making sure that the president's security is protected.”

NY Post - President Trump announced he would not be flying out of Turkey aboard the new Air Force One.

Alternet - Marc Polymeropoulos, a national security contributor, criticized Trump’s explanation for using the old Air Force One.

Alternet - Andrew Feinberg, White House correspondent for the Independent, supported Polymeropoulos's assessment.

Alternet - George Conway, a Democratic candidate for Congress, speculated on the security features of the Qatari plane.

WHAT:

Alternet - Marc Polymeropoulos described Trump’s explanation for using the old Air Force One as “ridiculous fluff,” asserting that the Qatari plane is “just not ready for prime time overseas.”

Alternet - Andrew Feinberg noted that the new Qatari jet lacks the self-defense capabilities needed when flying from Turkey during a conflict with Iran.

Alternet - Trump stated on Truth Social, “For old time’s sake, we’ll be taking the former Air Force One, from Turkey to Mildenhall, a short trip that is totally worth doing in order to give our Great Military Heroes a chance to appreciate our beautiful new addition to the Air Force Fleet!”

ABC News - Trump is flying home from a NATO summit in Turkey on an old baby blue Air Force One instead of the new Qatari-gifted jet he arrived in.

Fox News - Trump stated that the new Air Force One is heading to Mildenhall Air Force Base in the United Kingdom so troops can tour the aircraft after the NATO summit.

Alternet - Trump stated on Truth Social, “To honor our brave men and women of the Military, we are sending the brand new, and truly spectacular, Air Force One to Mildenhall Air Force Base, in the United Kingdom, to give them a chance to tour the Aircraft — Everybody is so excited, and we thought that they should be the first."

Alternet - Polymeropoulos asserted that the war with Iran has flared again, further increasing the need for top security measures.

NY Post - Trump will not fly out of Turkey on the new $400 million Air Force One.

Alternet - Trump used the previous Air Force One, which was recently retired, for his trip to the NATO summit in Turkey.

Alternet - Trump stated on Truth Social that the new Air Force One would be sent to Mildenhall Air Force Base in the United Kingdom for military personnel to tour.

WHERE:

NY Post - The new Air Force One was intended to be used in Turkey.

Alternet - The new Air Force One is being sent to Mildenhall Air Force Base in the United Kingdom.

WHEN:

Alternet - Trump mentioned the new Air Force One would be sent to Mildenhall Air Force Base, but no specific date was provided for this event.

WHY:

NBC News - The decision to use the older Air Force One was characterized as a security decision due to the ongoing threats in the region.

Alternet - Panetta suggested that the decision to switch planes may be a “cover story of some kind” related to security concerns amid the ongoing war in Iran.

Alternet - Panetta highlighted concerns about security issues with a plane built by another country, saying, “There does have to be some real concerns about the president's security.”

Alternet - Polymeropoulos noted that Turkey is considered a high counterintelligence “threat environment,” necessitating top security for communications, which the Qatari plane lacks.

Alternet - Trump’s decision to accept the plane “donated” by Qatar was criticized as an “unprecedented” act of bribery, raising security red flags due to the timing of the gift coinciding with Trump's business interests in Qatar.

NY Post - Speculation arose that the new Air Force One may be more vulnerable to enemy fire than the older plane it replaced.

Alternet - Polymeropoulos suggested that the Qatari plane lacks the necessary communication and security features for international duty, especially in a high-threat environment like Turkey.

Alternet - Trump claimed the decision was made to honor military personnel by allowing them to tour the new aircraft.

HOW:

Alternet - Panetta suggested that the decision to switch planes may be a “cover story of some kind” related to security concerns amid the ongoing war in Iran.

Alternet - Trump posted his explanation on Truth Social regarding the use of the old Air Force One for the trip.

(UPDATED July 9, 2026 04:17 UTC)

President Trump will be departing on the older Air Force One due to security concerns, as a source close to the president indicated that this choice was made out of an abundance of caution. Critics like Marc Polymeropoulos have dismissed Trump's reasoning as "ridiculous fluff," pointing out that the new Qatari plane is not equipped for international travel. Additionally, Andrew Feinberg highlighted that the Qatari jet lacks essential self-defense capabilities, particularly important given the current tensions in the region.

(UPDATED July 9, 2026 00:20 UTC)

Leon Panetta, who previously served as CIA Director, has voiced skepticism regarding President Trump's explanation for switching planes, emphasizing that there are significant security concerns at play. Trump announced on Truth Social that he would be taking the former Air Force One from Turkey to Mildenhall, describing the short trip as a chance for military heroes to appreciate the new addition to the Air Force fleet. Panetta further suggested that this decision might be a “cover story of some kind” linked to the ongoing war in Iran.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 22:21 UTC)

Leon Panetta, the former CIA Director, has raised serious concerns regarding President Trump's recent decision to switch planes, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the president's security. He pointed out that using a plane manufactured by another country could pose significant security risks, stating that there must be real worries about the president's safety. Panetta also suggested that this decision might be a "cover story of some kind" linked to ongoing security issues amid the war in Iran.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 21:20 UTC)

Trump is currently flying home from a NATO summit in Turkey on an older baby blue Air Force One, rather than the new jet gifted by Qatar that he arrived in. He mentioned that the new Air Force One is on its way to Mildenhall Air Force Base in the United Kingdom, where troops will have the opportunity to tour the aircraft following the summit. This decision comes as Turkey is viewed as a significant counterintelligence threat environment, which raises concerns about the security of communications on the Qatari plane.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 19:27 UTC)

Trump announced on Truth Social that a brand new Air Force One will be sent to Mildenhall Air Force Base in the United Kingdom, allowing military personnel to tour the aircraft, which he described as "truly spectacular." Meanwhile, Polymeropoulos has indicated that tensions with Iran have escalated, heightening the need for enhanced security measures. Trump's acceptance of the plane, which was "donated" by Qatar, has drawn criticism as an unprecedented act of bribery, especially given its timing with his business interests in the region.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 18:25 UTC)

President Trump announced he would not be flying out of Turkey on the new $400 million Air Force One, opting instead for the older model that was recently retired for his trip to the NATO summit. He stated on Truth Social that the new aircraft would be sent to Mildenhall Air Force Base in the United Kingdom for military personnel to tour, although no specific date for this event was provided. National security contributor Marc Polymeropoulos criticized Trump's reasoning, suggesting that the Qatari plane may lack the necessary communication and security features for international duty, especially in a high-threat environment like Turkey.