US President Donald Trump has conceded that the Boeing jet provided to him by Qatar's royal family does not possess the same defensive capabilities as a purpose-built presidential aircraft. Speaking to reporters on Sunday after returning to Washington from a trip to New Jersey, where he presented the World Cup trophy, Mr Trump indicated that the aircraft would soon be taken out of service for substantial upgrades.
When questioned about continuing to use a plane reportedly lacking anti-missile defences, Mr Trump stated, "Well, it has – it has a lot, and you know it has a lot of capability, but as I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re going to send it to have it be maxed out." He added, "So they’re going to be sending it, and they’ll have it be maxed out. It’ll take about a month." No further details or clarification on the specific scope of this planned work were provided.
These remarks follow a New York Times report earlier this month which highlighted that the approximately 14-year-old Boeing 747-8, valued at nearly $400 million (approximately £315 million), lacks critical defensive systems. These include infrared countermeasures designed to divert heat-seeking missiles and sensors to detect incoming launches, features standard on the Air Force One fleet.
Unlike the long-serving VC-25A aircraft, the Qatari jet was not originally constructed with hardening against electromagnetic pulses or equipped with the secure communications systems vital for presidential command during a crisis. Officials have previously described the aircraft as an interim solution while two newly ordered Boeing jets, which have faced delays of around four years, are completed.
The acceptance of the jet has drawn considerable scrutiny from ethics watchdogs and congressional Democrats. They argue that a foreign government's gift of an aircraft, which Mr Trump reportedly intends to keep for his presidential library after leaving office, raises constitutional concerns under the emoluments clause. The Justice Department, under former Attorney General Pam Bondi, approved the arrangement in 2025.
Earlier this month, Mr Trump used the jet for a NATO summit in Turkey but reportedly switched to an older, more heavily defended aircraft for his return journey amid heightened tensions with Iran, reportedly on the advice of the Secret Service. The US Air Force has estimated retrofit costs for the aircraft at under $400 million, though it remains unclear whether the further upgrades Mr Trump mentioned on Sunday fall within this existing figure or represent an additional phase of work.