Trump's presidential plane, a gift from Qatar, to be refitted amid security concerns

Donald Trump announced that his new presidential aircraft, gifted by Qatar, will be taken out of service for approximately one month to undergo extensive upgrades. The move comes amid reports and concerns about the security systems of the Boeing 747-8, which serves as the new Air Force One.

"It has many capabilities, but as far as I know, it will be taken away in about a month to get the maximum out of it," Trump told reporters, indicating the overhaul would take about a month. He did not specify the exact nature of the work to be performed on the aircraft.

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It has many capabilities, but as far as I know, it will be taken away in about a month to get the maximum out of it.

Trump first used the new presidential plane on July 1. However, a debate arose in the US regarding its security after he opted not to use it for his departure from the NATO summit in Turkey a week and a half later, instead using an alternative aircraft from his older Air Force One fleet. The New York Times reported that the president's protective detail had raised security concerns, suggesting the Qatari-provided plane lacks the same security features as previous US presidential aircraft.

The Qatari gift of the new Air Force One has been a point of discussion, with the reported security concerns now leading to a significant overhaul. The exact details of the upgrades remain undisclosed, but the decision underscores the high security standards expected for the US presidential aircraft.

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That will take about a month.