President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he will be sending both Air Force Ones to the United Kingdom so U.S. military service members stationed at Royal Air Force Mildenhall can tour the two jets.
The president had traveled on the new Qatari Air Force One to Turkey for the NATO summit but chose to switch planes for the journey back. Trump announced he will now fly on the older Air Force One from Turkey to the U.K.
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“To honor our brave men and women of the Military, we are sending the brand new, and truly spectacular, Air Force One to Mildenhall Air Force Base, in the United Kingdom, to give them a chance to tour the Aircraft — Everybody is so excited, and we thought that they should be the first,” Trump said.
Trump said he will fly on the older Air Force One to the U.K. to allow service members to tour and compare both planes, “a short trip that is totally worth doing in order to give our Great Military Heroes a chance to appreciate our beautiful new addition to the Air Force Fleet!”
When asked by reporters at the summit if he will be taking the older plane due to security concerns relating to Iran, Trump explained the role of commander in chief is a “very dangerous profession.”
“I’m No. 1 on the kill list for Iran,” Trump said, but did not specify that he is using the older Air Force One for security reasons.
Trump began using the new jet gifted to him by Qatar on July 1, after the plane underwent months of preparation by Air Force personnel who readied it for the president’s use. Updates included security and aesthetic renovations totaling $400 million. It is unclear why the president is traveling with the older Air Force One in Turkey.
PHOTOS: TRUMP DEBUTS NEW AIR FORCE ONE PLANE FROM QATAR
When the plane was first gifted to Trump by Qatar, there was major concern among critics who objected to the gifted aircraft on security grounds, but the renovations gutted the plane to ensure there were no listening or tracking devices hidden inside.
The jet is the newest addition to the executive fleet, which will all soon be decked out in a new color scheme designed by Trump during his first term. The new colorway features a darker blue underbelly, red strip banding the cabin windows, and a white top.
