Trump's Qatari-gifted jet undergoes rapid security upgrades amid expert concerns
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The Qatari aircraft presented to President Donald Trump was quickly retrofitted for security, prompting questions from aviation specialists and criticism from Democratic lawmakers over the speed and cost of the work.
President Donald Trump used a Qatari-gifted jet for part of his return from a NATO summit in Turkey after the Secret Service advised a switch from the older Air Force One amid heightened tensions with Iran. The aircraft, which had debuted as a replacement for Air Force One the previous week, was sent for security upgrades before being flown back to the United States.
Aviation experts said the rapid retrofit raised safety questions. Military aviation consultant Richard Aboulafia told NBC News that installing capabilities such as mid-air refueling could take many years, potentially extending into the 2030s. A senior official familiar with the process said the administration likely had time for communications upgrades but not for extensive structural work, which would require more than a year. Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall asked whether the plane now includes the protective measures standard on Air Force One, noting the unusually fast turnaround.
Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren, have criticized the project, arguing that taxpayers are bearing the cost of roughly $1 billion in security renovations and that the jet will be donated to Trump's presidential library after his term. They also expressed concern that funds from the Sentinel nuclear-modernization program might have been redirected to the aircraft. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office highlighted interior photos of the jet, while critics described the use of the plane as a “joy ride” for the former president.