US President Donald Trump has said the Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar and now used for presidential travel will soon undergo upgrades to strengthen its capabilities, after questions emerged about its security features.Speaking on Sunday after returning to Washington from New Jersey aboard the aircraft, Trump said the jet would be sent for additional work within weeks.”It has a lot of capability, but as I understand it, in about a month or so, they’re going to send it to have it be maxed out,” Trump told reporters. “It’ll take about a month.”The remarks came after a reporter asked why Trump was flying on the Qatari-donated aircraft despite reports that it lacks anti-missile defence systems. While Trump insisted the aircraft already has significant capabilities, his comments suggested further work is planned before it reaches the security standards expected of a presidential aircraft.The roughly 14-year-old Boeing 747-8, donated by Qatar’s royal family in 2025, has undergone modifications to operate as Air Force One, the military designation for any aircraft carrying the US president.However, unlike the purpose-built presidential jets, the aircraft reportedly does not yet carry the full range of defensive systems. Standard Air Force One aircraft are equipped with anti-missile countermeasures, hardened electrical wiring designed to withstand an electromagnetic pulse following a nuclear attack, aerial refuelling capability and a fully equipped medical suite.Trump used the aircraft during his trip to Turkey for the NATO summit earlier this month but switched back to one of the existing presidential aircraft for his return journey. Reports said the US Secret Service advised him to use the older aircraft.The aircraft has attracted scrutiny since its arrival in the US. Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that the jet lacked several defensive capabilities found on the current presidential fleet. The report was followed by a federal leak investigation, during which the FBI delivered subpoenas to NYT reporters seeking testimony before a federal grand jury.
