Trump taking Qatari Air Force One to Ireland despite questions over plane’s security

President Donald Trump intends to utilize the Qatari-gifted aircraft, previously utilized as "Air Force One," during his upcoming trip to Ireland. This revelation comes from a senior White House official who spoke to CNN, who also mentioned that this was not the first time Trump had flown on this plane. Just two months ago, he utilized it for a journey to Turkey, only to depart on a different aircraft due to security apprehensions.

At that time, CNN had highlighted the lack of certain safety features in the luxurious Boeing jet from Qatar, valued around $400 million, that could guarantee its security in hazardous international conditions, as per two sources familiar with the situation. However, a third source clarified that the plane was equipped with many of the same attributes as the older aircraft.

Following the Turkey trip, Trump disclosed in late July that the new Air Force One would soon reach its full potential, hinting at the plane's potential shortcomings in missile-defense capabilities. He reiterated this on Friday, stating that while the aircraft is already well-equipped, further upgrades are in the pipeline. "It has a lot of stuff, but to max it out, meaning you can go into any territory, it’ll take about 60 days," Trump affirmed.

Despite the aircraft's usage for domestic travel in the summer, it is set to transport the president to his presidential museum at the conclusion of his term. The White House official, who confirmed that the updates to the plane are anticipated in the fall, affirmed the aircraft's safety for non-hostile international travel, including Ireland.

Trump had previously boasted about the new aircraft, expressing frustration privately about media coverage of its shortcomings. The plan to employ the plane on his trip to Ireland was initially disclosed by the Washington Post. The article on Trump's decision to use the Qatari plane for the Irish visit was initially published on Egypt Independent.