US President Donald Trump announced on July 8, 2026, that he would leave Turkey after a NATO summit aboard his old Air Force One plane, while the new 747-8 jet donated by Qatar was sent ahead to the UK. Trump shared on his Truth Social network that the new jet was being sent to Mildenhall airbase to give service members a "chance to tour the Aircraft."

"Everybody is so excited, and we thought that they should be the first. For old time's sake, we’ll be taking the former Air Force One, from Turkey," Trump said.

The decision to switch from the new jet on its maiden foreign trip sparked speculation that its security features might be insufficient, especially following Trump's threats of fresh strikes against Iran, which borders Turkey. When asked during a press conference if the change was due to security concerns related to Iran, Trump sidestepped the question, instead referencing previous alleged assassination attempts by Tehran, stating, "I speak about it a lot because the life of a president is very dangerous."

The new plane was donated by Qatar's royal family last year after Trump criticized the condition of the two aging jets that have served as the US presidential planes since 1990. It was rapidly retrofitted with security features and made its first flight with Trump on July 1. Two brand new Boeing Air Force Ones are expected to be delivered later this decade after delays.

Sources