President Donald Trump departed for Washington on Wednesday evening aboard his old aircraft rather than the new Qatari-gifted plane, following a security concern, according to reports. The decision comes after earlier reports that Trump's flight change was linked to fears of Iranian assassination.
President Donald Trump departed Washington on Wednesday evening aboard his older aircraft instead of the new Qatari-gifted Boeing 747, citing a security concern, according to reports. The decision came after a day of speculation about the president's flight arrangements, culminating in the use of the older plane for the return trip.
Earlier Wednesday evening, at 19:30 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Trump said he may be assassinated and called himself Iran's 'number one' target. Shortly after, at 19:46 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that Trump did not deny that his flight plan had been altered due to security concerns related to Iran, reiterating that he is Iran's 'number one' target. The thread of reports thus moved from a general statement about assassination to a specific confirmation of a flight change without denial.
As The Zioneer previously reported, Trump inaugurated the Qatari-gifted Boeing 747 on July 1 as an interim Air Force One, describing it as an aircraft the United States could not have purchased due to cost. The plane was formally presented in a ceremony. Additionally, The Zioneer reported on Sunday, June 21, that Trump returned to Washington from Camp David in an unusual move, keeping his distance from reporters, which was seen as a security precaution.
The specific source of the security concern that led to the aircraft change on Wednesday evening has not been officially confirmed. It remains unclear whether the concern was directly tied to the earlier assassination fears or a separate issue. The future use of the Qatari-gifted jet as Air Force One also remains uncertain.
3 developments
- StrongTrump, before maiden flight on Qatari jet: Iran nuclear disarmament 'moving along well'
- DevelopingTrump departs Washington for G7 as US and Iran hold preliminary talks in Doha
- DevelopingTrump returns to Washington from Camp David, keeps distance from reporters
- StrongTrump displays Qatar-gifted interim Air Force One in New York
Source and signal
- Internal intake