Why did Trump leave Turkey on an old plane instead of a Qatari plane?

US President Donald Trump has already sent the new luxury jet gifted by Qatar to England after his visit to Turkey due to ongoing tensions and security risks with Iran. He has chosen a relatively older plane to return home.

Two officials said that the old plane was specially built under his own supervision to ensure maximum security for the US commander-in-chief (the president). On the other hand, the new plane donated by Qatar has recently been modified to be added to the US fleet. As a result, security personnel felt safer carrying the president in the old plane in this risky situation.

Although sources said that there was no specific or new threat to Trump, Trump himself mentioned the fear of his life at a NATO conference after the US airstrikes in Iran, which borders Turkey. Trump said, "I am number one on the kill list." The New York Times also reported this security concern earlier.

It was not immediately clear why the older aircraft was safer than the new one. However, two sources familiar with the matter said that the new aircraft lacked some of the capabilities to ensure full security in the international arena. Although a third source claimed that it also has many advanced features like the older aircraft. One official commented that the threat assessment is always changing.

The plane, provided by Qatar, was sent to Mildenhall Air Base in England before Trump left Turkey after the NATO summit. In a post on social media, Trump claimed that it was sent earlier to give US service members stationed at the base a chance to tour the plane. He wrote, “Everyone is very excited, so we thought we would let them see it first.”

Later, after the plane was changed to a secure air base in the United Kingdom, Trump gave somewhat mixed comments about the decision. He initially said that there was no security concern, we just sent the plane a little earlier so they could see it.

But when asked why he told reporters to keep the window shades down as the plane flew from Ankara, Trump admitted that the Iranian security threat could be a reason. He commented that Air Force One could be in a dangerous situation because of some dirty people. They are mentally ill, so it is not impossible that something like this could happen. However, he said that he was not aware of the order to lower the curtains for reporters.

CNN reported that this new jet worth $ 400 million, a gift from the government of Qatar, has long raised legal, ethical and national security questions. Although the US Air Force claims that the plane is completely safe and equipped with all the modern technology necessary for the president's mission.

However, an official who did not want to be named said that the military and the Secret Service believe that this 747 plane was put into service in a hurry. In contrast, two new jets contracted during Trump's first term are still under construction and are not likely to be ready before 2028. Because they require a long time to add highly classified communications and protective systems and require special training for pilots.

Another source said that the Qatari plane has always been considered a “transitional aircraft,” to be used until the main new planes are ready. Security officials were somewhat concerned from the beginning, as the conversion of the plane from Qatar was completed in just a year and a half.

Top White House officials have long discussed using the older plane over the new one for high-risk international travel. The source added that the new plane is perfectly safe for the president to fly, but extra precautions are required when traveling to international high-risk areas.

The older Boeing 747-200 carrying Trump from Turkey has highly specialized and advanced self-defense capabilities, including mid-air refueling capabilities, which are considered more reliable for Trump’s security at this time.