President Donald Trump switched to an older Air Force One jet before departing Turkey earlier this month after U.S. intelligence detected a credible plot by Iranian proxy forces to fire a missile at his aircraft during the NATO summit in Ankara.
The U.S. Secret Service swiftly enacted a backup strategy upon receiving the intelligence, swapping the Qatari-gifted Boeing 747-8 for the older presidential aircraft, which is equipped with laser countermeasures and missile diversion technology. The threat was confirmed to involve a missile attack linked to Iran-aligned groups.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the new Air Force One is perfectly safe but will undergo approximately one month of additional security upgrades this fall. The Justice Department had previously subpoenaed New York Times reporters over coverage of security risks involving the gifted aircraft, though those efforts have since been dropped.