Trump to use Qatari 'flying palace' again after secret plane switch

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump plans to fly to Ireland next week aboard Qatar’s “flying palace,” returning to the aircraft after a secret plane switch during his previous overseas trip.

The Boeing 747 was sidelined for Trump’s return from Turkey after US officials received intelligence about a potential Iranian threat to attack it.

The Washington Post reported on Friday, September 4, that a senior White House official confirmed Trump’s planned use of the jet.

Trump is returning to the Qatari jet

Trump’s decision puts the Qatari aircraft back into international service after it was not used for his return from the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, the report said. 

He later boarded the old Air Force One in front of television cameras before being secretly moved, via catering truck, to an Air Force C-32A.

Trump had initially said he left Turkey aboard the “former Air Force One,” describing the choice as being for “old time’s sake” and so US troops stationed in Britain could see the Qatari aircraft.

The switch was made after intelligence about a potential Iranian attack on the Qatari jet. Trump flew the C-32A to Britain with a few aides and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, while other officials and reporters remained on the old Air Force One, which served as a decoy.

Security upgrades remain unresolved

Trump’s planned Ireland flight comes before the security work he previously said would be done on the aircraft. 

Trump had said in July that the plane would be sent away to be “maxed out” with upgrades.

A senior administration official said, “We don’t comment on specific upgrades or modifications to Air Force One,” while adding that the administration maintains a posture designed to provide a “safe, secure, and reliable capability,” as per the report.

The White House has not announced a schedule for the upgrades. 

Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previously told The Washington Post that modifications would begin in the fall and take about a month, though security experts questioned whether the necessary work could be completed that quickly.

The United States has already spent $400 million retrofitting the Boeing 747 from Qatar, while the administration has not said how much additional work will cost.

The jet is becoming a regular option

Trump is poised to use the Qatari plane more often as he increases his campaign-season travel, the report said.

He is scheduled to travel to Texas next week for the Republican mini-convention in Dallas and has said he will visit Alaska and other states with tight races before the Nov 3 elections.

The aircraft was gifted by the Qatari government and royal family as an arrangement intended to address Trump’s frustration with delays in replacing the decades-old presidential aircraft.

Nicknamed the "flying palace" because of its lavish interior featuring a bedroom, chandelier, and lie-flat massage seats, the aircraft is intended to serve as a bridge plane until new Boeing 747s enter service, which are expected in 2028.

The Government Accountability Office has estimated that costs to enhance the new Boeing 747s exceed $5.6 billion. 

Lawmakers have questioned why those upgrades have cost so much more than the changes made to the Qatari jet and whether the aircraft is as secure as the government-purchased planes.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung previously defended the aircraft, saying, “The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff.”