President Donald Trump left the NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month aboard the older Air Force One jet rather than the newer Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar, after U.S. officials detected a credible missile threat from Iran and allied proxy groups targeting the president's plane, CBS News reported on July 24, 2026.

The threat, first reported by The New York Times, involved a credible plot to fire a missile at the aircraft. Trump initially flew to Ankara, Turkey, on the new $400 million Air Force One, which the U.S. accepted from Qatar last year and retrofitted for presidential use. However, he switched to the older plane for the flight from Ankara to the United Kingdom before returning to the U.S. on the newer jet.

The older Air Force One planes are equipped with laser technology designed to blind incoming missiles and employ diversion tactics, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News. The swap raised questions about the security of the new plane.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, "The new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the President's travels, but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall which will take approximately one month to complete. During that time, the President will fly on the old Air Force One."

CBS News also reported that the decision to use the older plane was made at the suggestion of the Secret Service as a precaution amid escalating tensions in the U.S.-Iran conflict. President Trump has acknowledged possible Iranian threats to his safety, having mentioned on Truth Social earlier this month that 1,000 missiles were "for immediate use if Iran attempts to assassinate him."

Sources