In a precautionary move amid escalating tensions with Iran, the Secret Service recommended that President Donald Trump depart Turkey using the older Air Force One instead of the newly upgraded aircraft gifted by Qatar. This advice was shared with ABC News by multiple informed sources.
Earlier in the day, the Qatari-donated plane had left the NATO summit in Turkey bound for Mildenhall Air Force Base in England. President Trump claimed the relocation was intended for military personnel to have an opportunity to tour the aircraft.
While addressing the media, Trump maintained that the decision to switch planes wasn’t linked to security issues. However, he noted that he considers himself a prime target for Iran, saying he’s “No. 1 on the kill list for Iran.”
According to two U.S. officials who spoke to ABC News, the decision to change the flight plan was not because of any direct threat. Instead, it pertained partly to the differences in the security features of the two aircraft.
The Secret Service’s recommendation was first reported by The New York Times. At the time of publication, the White House had not responded to ABC News’ inquiry for comment, and the Secret Service had also refrained from making any statements.
When the president ultimately left Turkey in the old Air Force One to link up with the new plane in England, passengers on the aircraft were instructed to keep their windows down during the flight, and according to flight data, the plane carrying the president did not turn on its tracker until it was over the Black Sea near Istanbul.
While the administration insists that the newly acquired plane meets the safety and security requirements necessary to fly the president, the speed of the retrofitting, which took about one year, has raised questions about whether the Qatari-gifted plane boasts the same defensive security measures as the old plane.
Many of the details of the retrofitting on the new plane are considered classified.
Before the first trip, the U.S. Air Force had been modifying the jet in Texas since September to meet the security, communications and other needs to transport the president. The Air Force had estimated it would cost less than $400 million to retrofit the gift.
The plane is to be used as the new Air Force One until shortly before Trump leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library Foundation, sources familiar with the proposed arrangement