Trump Will Fly to Ireland on Qatar's Air Force One Before Security Overhaul

Donald Trump says he will fly to Ireland next week aboard the Boeing 747 donated by Qatar, even though the aircraft still faces security concerns. He told reporters in the Oval Office that the plane would later undergo an extensive security review.

Trump said the aircraft would be reinforced to the highest possible level. “It has a lot of things, but to get it to the highest level will take about 60 days, and it will be sent for review in October,” he told reporters. The timetable has doubled from the month he initially said the repairs would require.

The aircraft has remained controversial since Trump switched to an older plane to leave a NATO summit in Ankara in July, then secretly made a second change to a third aircraft. The White House declined to comment on the planned improvements.

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It has a lot of things, but to get it to the highest level will take about 60 days, and it will be sent for review in October.

A senior government official told AFP that the administration maintained a consistent position focused on ensuring a safe, secure and reliable capability for the US president, with updates made routinely as needed. Qatar delivered the luxury aircraft to the United States in 2025 after Trump complained that the current planes were aging and that replacements were delayed.

Critics have questioned both the ethics and security of accepting such a gift from a foreign power. Trump nevertheless confirmed that he would use the aircraft for the Ireland trip before the planned work begins.

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We maintain a consistent position that ensures a safe, secure and reliable capability for the president of the United States, and we routinely update that capability as necessary to maintain that position.