Trump says new Air Force One is being sent for upgrades

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump's newly gifted and renovated Air Force One, a Boeing 747 from Qatar, will undergo additional security upgrades in the fall, taking about a month to complete, after concerns about missile-defense capabilities were raised.
• While Trump stated the plane "has a lot of capability," he confirmed it will be "maxed out" soon but did not detail the specific enhancements; during this upgrade period, the President will use the older Air Force One.
• The new aircraft, described as a "palace in the sky," is larger and faster than its predecessor and was accepted in May 2025, but is not expected to serve as Air Force One beyond 2028.
• The Department of Justice subpoenaed New York Times journalists to testify before a grand jury regarding their reporting on Air Force One security concerns, highlighting ongoing sensitivity around the plane's safety features.
• White House officials emphasized the plane's state-of-the-art security protocols and noted that various measures, including distraction and misdirection, are used to protect the President amid perceived threats.