President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, July 20th, 2026, that the new Air Force One—a luxury jet donated by Qatar—will be sent away for defensive upgrades amid ongoing speculation about its security capabilities. Speaking to reporters after attending the World Cup final match in New Jersey, Trump said, "It has a lot of capability, but as I understand it, in about a month or so, they're going to send it to have it be maxed out."

Trump has flown on the new plane several times since its debut in June 2026. Earlier in the month, after flying the jet to Turkey, he sent it ahead to England to allow U.S. service members stationed there to tour the aircraft.

The Secret Service has expressed caution partly because the new plane is not yet equipped with the full range of security features and systems present on the older Air Force One planes. According to sources familiar with the matter, the older planes include laser technology designed to blind incoming missiles and other diversion systems to misdirect munitions.

The new Air Force One underwent approximately 10 months of work prior to its introduction. Trump emphasized that the upcoming upgrades will "max out" the plane's defensive capabilities, a process expected to take about a month.

Sources