USA · 04 September, 2026 · 3 min read
Donald Trump Plans Ireland Trip Aboard Qatar-Gifted Boeing 747 Despite Security Concerns
Trump plans to fly to Ireland on the Qatar-donated Air Force One. Security upgrades on the jet remain incomplete, prompting ongoing safety concerns.
10 of 12 outlets skipped it: trump plans the jet’s destination to his presidential library/museum..
24outlets compared
Same story, two versions
tap a side to read it in full
CBS News
“He told reporters Friday the Qatari jet would be "maxed out" starting in October, a roughly two-month process.”Read the original ↗
ABC News
“It's not clear whether the plane has received any type of security enhancement since Trump's comments or whether the "maxed out" work the president has suggested is still planned, sources familiar with the matter said.”Read the original ↗
One outlet anchors a schedule while another stresses upgrade completion remains unclear.
Qatar Jet to Ireland
President Donald Trump is expected to fly to Ireland next week aboard the Boeing 747 donated by Qatar, marking the first overseas trip on the Qatari-gifted Air Force One since he secretly switched planes during his return from a NATO summit in Turkey in July.
“It is the greatest Presidential plane ever built”
ABC News reported that Trump is expected to use the jet for overseas travel next week, and it cited a senior administration official saying, "It is the greatest Presidential plane ever built," while noting the administration declined to comment on specific upgrades.A
The Independent said the trip is set for September 12 and 13, and it quoted Trump telling reporters in the Oval Office, "it'll take about 60 days, and it's being sent in October to be maximum," when asked whether the aircraft would be "maxed out."
Multiple outlets tied the decision to security concerns raised after intelligence about a potential Iranian threat, with the Washington Post cited in the reports describing the July covert plane swap and the use of a decoy flight.
Security Disputes and Quotes
CBS News said multiple U.S. officials told it that Trump will take the Qatari plane to Ireland in mid-September, and it described the earlier Turkey episode in which the Qatari plane was flown ahead to the United Kingdom because of security concerns.C
The New York Times reported that 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, and it said people briefed on the matter later learned of a threat to the president and Air Force One while they were in Turkey.
In the Oval Office, Trump said on Friday, "It has a lot of stuff, but to max it out, meaning you can go into any territory, it’s being sent in October to be maxed out," as The New York Times described the administration’s refusal to comment on specific upgrades.
The Independent also quoted a senior White House official telling it, "We don’t comment on specific upgrades or modifications to Air Force One," while adding that the administration maintains a posture to ensure a safe, secure, and reliable capability for the President of the United States.
What Happens Next
Several reports said the Qatari aircraft would undergo further security work after Trump’s July comments that it would be taken out of service temporarily for further security upgrades, with the White House previously saying the updates would begin in the fall and take about a month.
“We do not comment on the specific updates or changes being made to Air Force One”
Al-Masri Al-Yawm said the Washington Post cited a senior White House official saying, "We do not comment on the specific updates or changes being made to Air Force One," and it reported that development work could be delayed to after the midterm elections scheduled for November.
The Independent said Trump told reporters that the aircraft would be reinforced to the maximum and that the timetable for modifications had been doubled compared to the month he initially said the repairs would take, while also describing the White House’s position that the jet meets requirements for transporting the president.
The New York Times added that Trump said last year the Qatari plane would go to his planned presidential library in Miami, and it quoted him on Friday, "it will probably go to the museum. It’s scheduled to go to the museum," as the question of upgrades and defensive capabilities remained central to the trip’s controversy.