Trump says interim Air Force One to get security upgrades

President Donald Trump announced on Sunday, July 19, 2026, that the Boeing 747 aircraft donated by Qatar, which currently serves as the interim Air Force One, will soon be sent away for additional security upgrades. The announcement came following persistent questions about the aircraft's defensive capabilities compared to the older presidential jets.

Speaking to reporters upon his return to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland from a trip to New Jersey, Trump stated the aircraft "has a lot of capability." He added that, "as I understand it, in about a month or so, they're gonna send it to have it be maxed out ... It'll take about a month." A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on what specific upgrades "maxed out" entails or the proposed timeline. The U.S. Air Force also did not immediately comment.

The Qatari-donated jet, refitted by defense contractor L3Harris Technologies, entered presidential service on July 1. It features a red, white, dark blue, and gold livery chosen by Trump and is intended as a temporary replacement. This stopgap measure is necessary because Boeing is four years behind schedule and over budget on a fixed-price...