{"id":251014,"date":"2026-07-09T15:15:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-09T15:15:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/09\/donald-trump-ditches-400-million-qatari-plane-for-air-force-one\/"},"modified":"2026-07-09T15:15:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-09T15:15:02","slug":"donald-trump-ditches-400-million-qatari-plane-for-air-force-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/07\/09\/donald-trump-ditches-400-million-qatari-plane-for-air-force-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Donald Trump Ditches $400 Million Qatari Plane for Air Force One"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>This week, Donald Trump got away from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/06\/donald-trump-painted-reflecting-pool-algae-conspiracy-theories\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the Greenwater scandal<\/a> and escalating ICE violence to meet with NATO.<\/p>\n<p>On his way back, he abruptly swapped planes \u2014 eschewing the $400 million \u201cgift\u201d from Qatar for the previous Air Force One.<\/p>\n<p>At first, he simply said that this was out of some odd nostalgia.<\/p>\n<p>But, speaking to reporters, Trump admitted that security threats and the risk of assassination were on his mind.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0709_donaldtrump_01-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Donald Trump and Air Force One in May 2025.\" class=\"wp-image-558692 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0709_donaldtrump_01-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0709_donaldtrump_01-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0709_donaldtrump_01-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0709_donaldtrump_01-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0709_donaldtrump_01-960x640.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0709_donaldtrump_01-1080x720.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0709_donaldtrump_01-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0709_donaldtrump_01-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Donald J. Trump departs the Al Udeid Air Base in May 2025.<span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo Credit: Win McNamee\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-plane-swap-was-abrupt\">The plane swap was abrupt<\/h2>\n<p>On Wednesday, July 8, Trump departed from Turkey.<\/p>\n<p>He had been there for a NATO summit, one taking place amidst escalating hostilities in his needless war with Iran.<\/p>\n<p>He did not, however, depart on his controversial and freshly renovated $400 million jet \u2014 the one that Qatar dubiously \u201cgifted\u201d to him.<\/p>\n<p>Then, only once he was in the UK, Trump traded planes, riding back to DC onboard the luxury vehicle that critics have characterized as both a bribe and a security risk.<\/p>\n<p>Though Trump initially claimed that he\u2019d be using the previous Air Force One plane \u201cfor old time\u2019s sake\u201d for the flight from Ankara to RAF Mildenhall, he \u2014 as is his habit \u2014 offered multiple explanations.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Trump UNEXPECTEDLY switches planes from Qatari-gifted jet back to old AF1\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/f0BROimYHB8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>When reporters in Ankara asked if the potential threat of assassination was a factor in swapping planes, he avoided giving a direct answer.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, he oddly boasted: \u201cI\u2019m number one on the kill list for Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Responding perhaps to his own thoughts, he rambled: \u201cI don\u2019t know. I can\u2019t tell \u200byou that but I don\u2019t really care.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also said: \u201cI have a threat all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Trump also told reporters that they themselves were at risk by traveling with him, suggesting that some might want to find new professions.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-9-16 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Trump unexpectedly takes Air Force One over Qatari-gifted jet\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/b1_yMz-aSpM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-number-one-on-the-kill-list-for-iran\">\u2018Number one on the kill list for Iran\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>For a politician at any level to accept a $400 million \u201cgift\u201d from a foreign power is a huge red flag.<\/p>\n<p>In fairness, Trump\u2019s personal finances have been massively inflated by many foreign powers renting rooms on his properties and buying into his family\u2019s cryptocurrency scams.<\/p>\n<p>Though the gift from Qatar, a notorious nation infamous for, among other things, slave labor, is no great honor, it is only one small piece of a larger story of brazen corruption at the expense of the American people.<\/p>\n<p>Still, having a pantry full of corruption at home doesn\u2019t mean that you need to get more to add to it.<\/p>\n<p>And when we mention the \u201cexpense\u201d that the American people pay for Trump\u2019s new plane, it comes with a price tag much higher than $400 million.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&#039;I&#039;m #1 on the kill list for Iran&#039;: Trump swaps planes for security\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/b7XMrzyp4WQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Upgrades to the jet were completed with such haste that security experts have worried that the plane isn\u2019t up to Air Force One standards.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, lawmakers have estimated that the cost of converting the plane was over $1 billion.<\/p>\n<p>The conversion process included security upgrades, improvements to communications, eavesdropping countermeasures, missile defense capabilities, and more.<\/p>\n<p>Most politicians would not really consider accepting such a gift for the optics alone.<\/p>\n<p>But then, most politicians do not believe that they are entitled to exist within a gilded palace at all times.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/07\/donald-trump-ditches-qatar-jet-air-force-one\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading Time: 2 minutes This week, Donald Trump got away from the Greenwater scandal and escalating ICE violence to meet with NATO. On his way back, he abruptly swapped planes \u2014 eschewing the $400 million \u201cgift\u201d from Qatar for the previous Air Force One. At first, he simply said that this was out of some [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":251018,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-251014","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251014","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=251014"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/251014\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=251014"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=251014"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=251014"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}