Trump Flies to Ireland on Questionable Qatari Jet Amid Security Concerns
US President Donald Trump is set to fly to Ireland on September 12 and 13 on a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar, marking his first international trip on the aircraft since US officials secretly moved him to another plane in July due to intelligence indicating a potential Iranian threat.
The Qatari jet's defensive capabilities have come into question after Trump last used it at the NATO summit in Turkey in July. ABC News reported that Trump told reporters he would 'max out' the plane, adding 'to max it out, meaning you can go into any territory, it'll take about 60 days, and it's being sent in October to be maximum.'
However, security experts have raised concerns over whether the Qatari jet has all the advanced defensive capabilities of older presidential aircraft. The Government Accountability Office estimated the replacement program will cost more than $5.6 billion.
The Independent reported that Trump said on Friday that 'it'll probably go to the museum,' referring to his planned presidential library in Miami. He added, 'I haven't made a decision, but it will probably go to the museum.'