Donald Trump returned to Washington on Sunday, July 19, aboard his newly introduced Air Force One after attending the World Cup final, but the aircraft may soon be grounded for several weeks.
At the start of the month, the president presented the new presidential jet, which had been accepted as a gift from Qatar.
“There will never be one like this. This is very unique. This is considered the world’s most luxurious plane,” he said at the unveiling. “When it was built, it was built at a level that will probably never be seen again. This plane was transformed into a flying White House at a level of luxury that nobody’s ever seen before.”
Although Trump had proudly highlighted the aircraft earlier, he has since said it is due to be taken out of action temporarily.
Speaking to reporters after landing in Washington on the Boeing 747-800 following the final in New Jersey, Trump was asked why he was using the aircraft and whether it was missing missile-defense protections.
“It has a lot of capability,” he said. “But as I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re gonna send it to have it be maxed out… It’ll take about a month,” he added.
The questions follow reports of security concerns surrounding the plane. Several outlets have reported that the jet was rushed into service after being retrofitted for presidential use, with upgrades focused on communications, security systems, and other protections expected on an Air Force One aircraft.
Trump did not provide details about what upgrades or modifications are expected during the work, but the move appears to be part of the continuing effort to bring the Qatari-gifted plane closer to full presidential standards.
The jet includes a long list of high-end features, such as master and guest bedrooms finished with sycamore and wacapou wood, leather seating, custom Tai Ping carpets, and original art pieces.
That setup remains largely intact because the Air Force chose to focus on getting the aircraft delivered quickly rather than fully redesigning the interior. As a result, much of the Qatari ‘Head of State’ configuration was left in place.
The plane began flying as Air Force One on July 1 after an accelerated retrofit process that brought it into presidential service sooner than initially expected. The upgrade work has drawn attention because it must balance luxury, security, communications, and mission requirements.
It was likely a comfortable trip back for Trump after a high-profile appearance at the soccer tournament.
After Spain defeated Argentina, the president went onto the pitch to present medals to both sides before handing the trophy to the champions.
But the moment became awkward when Trump appeared to linger during the winners’ celebrations and had to be guided away by FIFA President Gianni Infantino after seeming to remain in the team photo.