Story perspectives

Trump Switches to Legacy Air Force One Lacking Defenses

7/12/2026

Summary

Story summary

The mid-flight swap revealed the Qatar-gifted Air Force One lacks defensive systems on the legacy VC-25A.
President Donald Trump flew the older VC-25A from Turkey to RAF Mildenhall before boarding the retrofitted Boeing 747-8.
Secret Service officials advised the change as a precaution because of renewed U.S.–Iran hostilities, though no threat was cited.
The retrofit, completed in under ten months for under $400 million, omitted mid-air refueling and some missile-countermeasure systems.

History

Historical Context

After the 1979 Iran hostage crisis prompted the Secret Service to add infrared counter-measure pods to the newly fielded VC-25, the United States has repeatedly upgraded its presidential jet. In 2018 the Air Force signed a $3.9 billion deal to convert two Qatar-gifted Boeing 747-8s into VC-25B aircraft, a move echoed by renewed U.S.–Iran hostilities. The program follows the 1987 introduction of the original VC-25.

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Story summary

The mid-flight swap revealed the Qatar-gifted Air Force One lacks defensive systems on the legacy VC-25A.
President Donald Trump flew the older VC-25A from Turkey to RAF Mildenhall before boarding the retrofitted Boeing 747-8.
Secret Service officials advised the change as a precaution because of renewed U.S.–Iran hostilities, though no threat was cited.
The retrofit, completed in under ten months for under $400 million, omitted mid-air refueling and some missile-countermeasure systems.

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