Trump admits Air Force One jet from Qatar needs upgrades

Donald Trump acknowledged that a newer Air Force One jet provided by Qatar will need upgrades and will be taken out of service for a retrofit period. After Trump said he was forced to abandon the Qatar-donated aircraft in Turkey due to safety concerns, he told reporters the Boeing 747 would be “maxed out” in about a month, meaning it would receive upgrades to match the protection expected for the commander-in-chief. The report says Trump did not specify which changes are required, but it was reported to lack anti-missile defense capabilities present on older presidential aircraft. Trump began flying the jumbo jet this month, after accepting it as a gift tied to the oil-rich Middle East ally, including a trip to Turkey for a NATO summit. He later had to return to Britain on a backup plane when the war with Iran flared up. The article also cites the jet’s $400 million cost and ongoing retrofit spending of hundreds of millions, along with criticism and subpoenas tied to reports raising safety and conflict-of-interest questions.