President Donald Trump abruptly abandoned the new Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar and departed Turkey on the older Air Force One after US intelligence assessed a credible threat from Iranian proxy forces, according to multiple officials briefed on the matter. The Secret Service recommended the switch as Trump left the NATO summit in Ankara on 8 July, because the Qatari aircraft lacked the advanced anti-missile defences of the legacy presidential jet.

American officials told the New York Times and CBS News that the threat involved a plot to fire a missile at the president’s plane. The intelligence indicated that Iranian-linked groups were targeting Trump personally, irrespective of which aircraft he boarded. The older VC-25 is equipped with laser technology to blind incoming missiles and systems to misdirect munitions, while the retrofitted Qatari jet’s defensive capabilities remain unconfirmed. The White House did not comment on the specific threat, though a senior administration official expressed confidence in the protective measures taken.

Trump initially said he used the older plane “for old time’s sake” and denied a security motive, but later acknowledged the new aircraft would be “maxed out” with upgrades. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated the plane is safe but will undergo enhancements lasting approximately one month, during which the president will fly on the old Air Force One. Separately, the Justice Department had issued subpoenas for journalists’ phone records in a leak investigation over earlier reporting on the jet’s security gaps, but withdrew them after a judicial challenge.

The episode unfolded as US forces resumed strikes on Iran while Trump was in Ankara, roughly 1,600 kilometres from Tehran. The president has repeatedly cited Iranian assassination threats, dating back to the 2020 killing of General Qassem Soleimani, and has warned of overwhelming retaliation. Officials said the threat that triggered the aircraft swap was distinct from intelligence shared by Israel about a separate Iranian plot, which some in Washington viewed with scepticism. The Qatari-donated 747-8, accepted as a gift in 2025, serves as a temporary presidential transport until two purpose-built replacements are delivered under a 2018 contract, now expected near the end of Trump’s term.