Trump returning to US on old Air Force One amid Iran threats
President Trump returned to the US on an older Air Force One aircraft amid reported threats from Iran. The decision to use a backup plane came as the administration addressed security concerns related to potential Iranian retaliation following a US airstrike that killed a top Iranian general.
Background
- President Trump is traveling back from a New York City event aboard a "backup" Air Force One (officially a C-32A, a modified Boeing 757) rather than the primary VC-25A (a heavily modified Boeing 747). This matters because the older, smaller plane lacks some of the advanced defensive countermeasures of the main presidential aircraft.
- The switch was made due to "specific and credible" threats from Iran, per White House officials. Iran has vowed revenge for the 2020 US drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, a top Iranian general, and US officials have long warned Iran remains eager to retaliate.
- This is a rare public acknowledgment that the president changed aircraft for security reasons, underscoring the seriousness of the threat assessment.