Donald Trump’s ‘doomsday plane’ touches down near Washington DC amid rising Iran war tensions
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump's "Doomsday Plane", which has been designed to survive nuclear war, has touched down near Washington, DC, as speculation grows over a strike on Iran.
The US Air Force E-4B 'Nightwatch' aircraft arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday, just hours after the president's crisis meeting in the White House Situation Room, according to The US Sun.
Dear Americans, did you know that...? The US President's "doomsday plane" E-4B has landed near Washington, as reported by Defence Index.
— HeyTam (@HeyTam) June 18, 2025
The last time such actions took place was on September 11, 2001, after the terrorist attack on the "twin towers".This plane can withstand a pic.twitter.com/YQlMXyMtsI
Donald Trump's 'doomsday plane' touches down near Washington
The aircraft left Bossier City in Louisiana, just before 6 pm on Tuesday, June 17, and landed in Maryland at 10 pm, after skirting the coast and looping around the border of Virginia and North Carolina, flight tracking site FlightRadar's data showed, per the New York Post.
However, there was confusion after the flight issued an unusual callsign, ORDER01 instead of the usual ORDER6, per flight data.
Moreover, the US fleet of four E-4Bs makes regular flights year-round to maintain military readiness.
The aircraft's movement has sparked fears that it could indicate that Trump and the US are joining the war against Iran.
Meanwhile, the US government has been urged to join forces with Israel in recent days and bring an end to the Iranian regime in the Middle East, per the outlet.
Interestingly, the aircraft is only used by the White House's top staff and the defense forces during a major emergency or global crisis.
Earlier, the plane had only been called into action once on September 11, 2001, during the attack on the Twin Towers, the outlet reported.
The plane has been designed to withstand electromagnetic pulses and even nuclear and thermal blasts.
The 'doomsday plane' has been operative since the 1970s and was considered the best chance for a Cold War president to survive a nuclear war.
The massive Boeing aircraft can hold up to 111 crew and passengers on board and has six main areas, from a relaxing lounge to a command work area and briefing room, per the outlet.
A major safety feature of the plane is that it has four engines and is capable of refueling mid-flight, allowing for over 35 hours in the air.
Moreover, an engine can produce 52,500 pounds of thrust from the plane and can carry up to 800,000 pounds. The weight can be distributed across the aircraft that boasts a 195ft wingspan.
Donald Trump reveals US has eyes on Iran’s top leader Ali Khamenei
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday, June 17, and dropped a bombshell, claiming the US has eyes on Iran’s top leader, Ali Khamenei.
He wrote, "We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don’t want missiles shot at civilians or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Interestingly, Trump had a high-stakes, 80-minute meeting in the White House Situation Room, which started after 2 pm on Tuesday.
Moreover, insiders told the New York Post that the president is "heavily weighing" a response to Israel’s punishing strikes on Iran.
The meeting was attended by Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard.
Moreover, an insider said that Trump surrounds himself with people who "know what they’re talking about and are honest with him."
