Trump to use Qatari jet for overseas trip despite security concerns
President Donald Trump is expected to fly aboard a Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar during an upcoming trip to Ireland, despite ongoing concerns about the aircraft’s security capabilities. This will be his first international flight using this aircraft since a security incident in july prompted him to switch to an older Air Force One model. The Qatari-gifted jet is currently undergoing upgrades, although specifics are not publicly disclosed. Trump intends to use the plane for his trip to Ireland, where he plans to attend the Irish Open at his golf course and hold meetings with Irish leaders. The aircraft, valued at around $400 million, was modified for presidential use after delays in Boeing’s replacement Air Force One program. Trump previously indicated the aircraft would be decommissioned after his second term, but its future remains uncertain, with discussions of displaying it at his presidential library now uncertain. The trip aligns with Trump’s broader travel plans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections,including visits to Texas,Alaska,and other key states.
President Donald Trump is expected to fly aboard the Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar during an upcoming overseas trip, despite lingering questions about the aircraft’s security capabilities.
Trump is expected to use the Qatari-gifted jet for the trip to Ireland next week, according to the Washington Post. The flight marks Trump’s first international travel aboard the aircraft since a security-related incident in July prompted him to switch to an older Air Force One during his return from a NATO summit in Turkey.
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A senior administration official confirmed to the Washington Examiner that the aircraft is continuing to undergo upgrades.
“We don’t comment on specific upgrades or modifications to Air Force One,” the official said. “We maintain a consistent posture that ensures a safe, secure, and reliable capability for the President of the United States and routinely evolve the capability as required to maintain that posture. It is the greatest Presidential plane ever built.”
The decision comes as Trump ramps up his travel ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. He is scheduled to travel to Texas next week to headline a Republican convention in Dallas and said he plans to visit Alaska and other states with competitive races before November.
The Ireland trip is more personal for Trump, however. He plans to attend the Irish Open, which is being held at his Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, while also holding official meetings with Irish leaders.
The Qatari aircraft has faced scrutiny since Trump began using it as a temporary replacement for the aging Air Force One fleet. Qatar gifted the $400 million Boeing 747-8 to the United States in 2025, and the aircraft was subsequently modified for presidential use after Boeing’s replacement Air Force One program faced significant delays and cost overruns. Trump first flew aboard the aircraft on July 1.
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Trump subsequently said the Qatari aircraft would be “maxed out” with additional defensive capabilities after security concerns at the United Nations conference.
The aircraft’s long-term future has also shifted. Trump said in May 2025 that the jet would be decommissioned after his second term and displayed at the presidential library that his son, Eric Trump, is developing in Miami. But Eric Trump said last month that bringing the aircraft to the library “is not the plan at the moment.”
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