Key facts
- President Donald Trump acknowledged that a Boeing jet donated by Qatar lacks the defensive systems of a presidential aircraft.
- Trump stated the Qatar-donated jet will undergo upgrades in about a month to enhance its protections.
- The roughly 14-year-old Boeing 747-8, donated by Qatar, lacks anti-missile defenses and secure communications systems.
- Boeing anticipates delivering new Air Force One jets by 2028, with project costs now exceeding $5 billion.
- The acceptance of the jet has raised constitutional concerns under the emoluments clause.
President Donald Trump acknowledged that a Boeing jet donated by Qatar, which he has been using, lacks the defensive systems of a presidential aircraft and will undergo upgrades soon. The admission comes as Boeing faces rising costs and delays on its new Air Force One fleet, expected in 2028.
Trump stated that the roughly 14-year-old Boeing 747-8, valued at close to $400 million and donated by Qatar's royal family, will be sent for upgrades in about a month to enhance its protections. He explained that the aircraft, unlike the purpose-built Air Force One fleet, was not built with anti-missile defenses or secure communications systems needed to run the government during a crisis.
This disclosure follows reporting that Trump switched to an older, more defended aircraft for his return from a Nato summit amid rising tensions with Iran, reportedly on the advice of the Secret Service. The acceptance of the jet has also drawn scrutiny from ethics watchdogs and congressional Democrats, who argue that a foreign government's gift raises constitutional concerns under the emoluments clause. The justice department under Pam Bondi approved the arrangement in 2025.
Boeing expects to deliver two newly ordered jets by 2028, a project whose costs have now surpassed $5 billion, representing a significant increase from initial estimates.