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Donald Trump is preparing to use a luxury Boeing 747-8 aircraft donated by Qatar for his upcoming trip to Ireland next week, marking the first overseas use of the plane since questions arose about its defensive capabilities. The jet was previously used for a trip to the NATO summit in Turkey in July, after which its safety features came under scrutiny. Trump reportedly stated the aircraft would be taken out of service for about a month for security upgrades, though it remains unclear if those modifications are complete. The older presidential planes offer extensive capabilities to counter missile threats, which the Qatari jet may lack. Trump is expected to travel to his Doonbeg resort in Ireland, possibly by helicopter, to attend a tournament before departing later that day.
Flight on luxury aircraft would be first use for an overseas trip since questions raised about its defensive capabilities The Qatar i jet’s safety capabilities came into question after Trump last used it on a foreign trip, to the Nato summit in Turkey, in July.
Photograph: Win McNamee/Getty Imagesis planning to use the new Air Force One jet donated to him by Qatar when he travels to Ireland next week. It is set to be the first time he will use the luxury aircraft on an overseas trip since questions were raised about its defence capabilities. , possibly travelling by helicopter, to stay at his Doonbeg resort to watch the tournament, which is due to conclude on the Sunday.
He is expected to depart later that day. Boy killed in Mayo rail incident named locally as Eoin Doyle The New York Times reported that Trump had said several weeks ago that the 747-8 aircraft donated by Qatar would be taken out of service for roughly a month to allow for security upgrades. It is unclear whether these have been completed. The Washington Post first reported on Trump’s plans to use the Qatari plane for his trip to Ireland.
A senior White House official, speaking on background, would not comment on specific upgrades to Air Force One. The plane was retrofitted quickly to be pushed into service for Trump to use during his current term, after two new jets commissioned from Boeing for presidential travel were badly delayed. But those planes are built from the ground up as essentially flying presidential command centres, with extensive capabilities to fend off missile strikes.
The Qatari jet’s safety capabilities came into question after Trump last used it on a foreign trip, to the Nato summit in Turkey, in July. Trump declared that he would fly on one of the older presidential aircrafts for his departure, instead of the Qatari jet that he had flown into Europe with, for “old times’ sake”. The New York Times reported that the Qatari jet lacked defensive capabilities that the older models have.
People briefed on the matter later told the New York Times that officials had learned of a threat to the president and Air Force One while they were in Turkey, prompting the switch. Although he boarded the older plane at Ankara airport, it later emerged that the president had been whisked off it and on to a military jet, leaving the older Air Force One aircraft as a decoy flight.
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