President Trump’s impatience with aging presidential jets put a luxury 747 from Qatar in the Air Force One rotation—at a steep cost and with notable security compromises, the New York Times reports. After touring the opulent 747-8 in early 2025, Trump pushed to have it retrofitted in time for the nation’s 250th birthday, compressing a years-long upgrade process into about eight months. The rush triggered hundreds of millions of dollars in extra expenses, including pilot training and additional 747-8 purchases, some of it funded through a classified nuclear modernization budget that kept the true price from Congress, according to the report.
Experts and records cited by the Times say the “bridge” aircraft lacks several features long built into Air Force One: a lower-level exit with its own stairs, a second auxiliary power unit, and visible high-end antimissile systems. The jet, donated by Qatar and ultimately destined for Trump’s presidential library, is now set to be sent back to the shop this fall for further “upgrades and enhancements.” The White House insists the aircraft is safe, but scrutiny intensified after the Secret Service urged Trump to leave Turkey this month on the older Air Force One amid a credible threat from Iranian proxy forces, notes the Guardian. Reporters for the Times were served subpoenas for their reporting on that move; the Justice Department subsequently pulled the subpoenas.
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