President Trump said Wednesday that he would not leave Turkey on his newly acquired Air Force One, explaining that the aircraft would instead be sent to the United Kingdom so U.S. service members could get an early look inside before he returns with it to Washington.
The unexpected decision quickly fueled questions about whether the $400 million jet, donated by Qatar, could be more exposed to hostile fire than the older presidential aircraft it is replacing.
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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 wrote on Truth Social.
Trump added that he would make the trip from Turkey to Mildenhall aboard the previous Air Force One, calling it a short journey and saying it was “totally worth doing” so members of the military could see what he described as a “beautiful new addition to the Air Force Fleet.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
