Fact Check: Did Trump leave his Qatari plane after Iranian hackers hijacked its TVs?

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump's recent decision to fly aboard the older Air Force One after the NATO summit in Turkey, instead of the Qatar-donated jet, reportedly due to Secret Service security concerns, has fueled a wave of online rumors.

One viral post claims Trump abandoned the luxury aircraft after alleged Iranian hackers hijacked its in-flight TVs, but is the claim true, and where did it originate? Here's what we found.

Claim: Trump ditched the Qatari plane after Iranian hackers broke into its flight TVs

The claim that Iranian hackers hijacked President Donald Trump's Qatar-donated jet originated from an X account called The Halfway Post.

The post stated, "Donald Trump is reportedly no longer using his Qatari plane because Iranian hackers broke into the Internet system and made all the TVs continually switch off Fox News and start playing YouTube videos of famous Obama speeches."

The viral claim emerged after Trump switched from the newly retrofitted Qatar-donated Boeing 747 to the older Air Force One while departing Turkey.

He flew aboard the older aircraft from Ankara to RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom before boarding the Qatar-donated jet for the final leg of his trip to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

The nearly $400 million aircraft has been the subject of intense bipartisan debate and ethics scrutiny. Critics have questioned whether accepting the foreign-donated jet raises constitutional concerns, creates potential security risks, and presents conflicts of interest.

Fact Check: False, the claim originated as a satire

The claim is false. The rumor about Iranian hackers taking over the in-flight entertainment system and replacing Fox News with videos of former President Barack Obama's speeches originated from the X account, The Halfway Post, a self-described satire account.

The account's bio states: "Dadaist graffiti news. Halfway true comedy and satire for your doomscrolling... I don't report the facts, I improve them." The post was published as a satirical joke and was not based on any real event.

No credible reports, government statements, or media outlets have reported that Iranian hackers compromised the aircraft's internet or entertainment system. The viral post appears to combine real news about Trump's aircraft with political humor involving Fox News, Obama, and Iranian cyber threats.

The rumor gained traction after President Trump switched from the Qatar-donated Boeing 747 to the older Air Force One while leaving Turkey. However, the White House denied claims that the new aircraft was unsafe.

According to The New York Times, Trump flew aboard the older Air Force One from Ankara as a security precaution because the Qatar-donated jet has not yet been equipped with all of the security and communications features available on the existing presidential aircraft.

The report also said that the Secret Service recommended using the older Air Force One for the flight from Turkey because of heightened security concerns following renewed tensions with Iran. Trump later boarded the Qatar-donated aircraft for the final leg of his trip to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.