Story perspectives

Trump Switches to Old Plane After Missile-Defense Warning

7/14/2026

Summary

Story summary

President Donald Trump flew to the NATO summit in Ankara on the $400 million Air Force One on July 7, 2026.
He returned on the older aircraft on July 8 after the Secret Service warned the VC-25B lacked anti-missile defenses and the AN/ALQ-204 Matador jammer.
Trump posted that the old plane was used “for old times’ sake” and the new jet would go to RAF Mildenhall to honor military.

History

Historical Context

In 2002 President George W. Bush used the newly fielded VC-25, the military Boeing 747 introduced in 1990, to attend a NATO summit, demonstrating the post-9/11 emphasis on secure presidential mobility. Two decades later, President Donald Trump’s 2026 Ankara stop underscored continued reliance on the aging VC-25B after the Secret Service flagged missing jamming equipment, renewing congressional pressure to fund the aircraft’s missile-defense upgrades.

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Story summary

President Donald Trump flew to the NATO summit in Ankara on the $400 million Air Force One on July 7, 2026.
He returned on the older aircraft on July 8 after the Secret Service warned the VC-25B lacked anti-missile defenses and the AN/ALQ-204 Matador jammer.
Trump posted that the old plane was used “for old times’ sake” and the new jet would go to RAF Mildenhall to honor military.

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