President Donald Trump departed Turkey aboard the older Air Force One instead of the newly retrofitted aircraft accepted from Qatar, prompting questions about why the president switched planes.
The White House <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/07/08/trump-air-force-one-nato-iran-qatar/20bb3bfc-7b0a-11f1-b194-f872dd4ec5aa_story.html">insisted</a> that the new aircraft is equipped with advanced security measures, as reports suggested that the older presidential jet&#8217;s defense capabilities may have factored into the decision.
Journalist Andrew Feinberg wrote on X that the “<a href="https://x.com/AndrewFeinberg/status/2074838259427876963">most likely reason</a>” for the change was that the former Qatari jet “doesn’t have the self-defense capabilities needed when flying from Turkey while in a shooting war with Iran.”
Former CIA station chief and Fox News contributor <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/person/h/daniel-hoffman">Daniel Hoffman</a> said the switch reminded him of threat briefings he delivered to senior U.S. officials. 
“Credible threats required us to take countermeasures,” Hoffman said, adding that the older Air Force One reportedly has enhanced security capabilities that the newer aircraft does not. “I clearly think this is part of the president’s calculus.”
Later <a href="https://abcnews.com/Politics/secret-service-urged-trump-depart-turkey-air-force/story?id=134606227">reports</a> indicated that the Secret Service urged Trump to leave Turkey on the older Air Force One as a security precaution, citing sources familiar with the matter. The reports also said Trump told reporters the switch had nothing to do with security.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/07/08/trump-air-force-one-nato-iran-qatar/20bb3bfc-7b0a-11f1-b194-f872dd4ec5aa_story.html">said</a> the Qatari Boeing 747 is &#8220;a state of the art aircraft&#8221; equipped with &#8220;high-level security protocols&#8221; and added that the administration uses &#8220;every tool at our disposal, including distraction and misdirection,&#8221; to protect the president.  
The speculation came as Trump said Iran considers him its &#8220;number one target” amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran. 
Trump pushed back on the idea that the change was security-related. When asked what security concern caused the switch, he <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/2075007925496803741">said</a>, “We sent it a little early so the base could see the plane.”
A reporter then asked why passengers were told to close their window shades.
“Because you’re on a dangerous flight,” Trump replied.
Trump later said on <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116886666473252596">Truth Social</a> that he sent the newer aircraft ahead to RAF Mildenhall, a U.S.-operated air base in Suffolk, England, where American service members toured the plane before Trump boarded it for the flight back to Washington.

CHINA-US-DIPLOMACY

Questions Swirl Around Security Lapses For New Qatari Air Force One

Air and Space

Air Force One

Donald Trump

Executive

Iran

Qatar

Turkey

World

President Donald Trump on Wednesday expressed excitement for the first flight of the new Air Force One, calling the Qatari-gifted jet &#8220;the greatest commercial plane ever built.&#8221;
Trump spoke to reporters on the tarmac before departing to North Dakota for the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.
“So, this will be the first flight of what I think is maybe the greatest commercial plane ever built,” Trump said. “I think you know, to be honest with you, I&#8217;m excited about the first flight. It&#8217;s something nobody&#8217;s ever seen anything like it, even you people with all your experience and all of your talents, you will never see anything like this.” 
A video posted by the White House&#8217;s Rapid Response X account captured the commander-in-chief climbing the stairs of the Boeing 747-8, pausing to pump his fist <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2072313524747985250?s=20">before takeoff</a>. 
In June, White House officials <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-last-ride-white-house-bids-farewell-to-air-force-one?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=31&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98The+Last+Ride%E2%80%99%3A+White+House+Bids+Farewell+To+Air+Force+One">bid farewell</a> to the old Air Force One, a Boeing 747-200, which has transported U.S. presidents across the nation and around the world for more than three decades.
“The last ride,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung <a href="https://x.com/StevenCheung47/status/2067514778684162330?s=20">said on X</a>. “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
“THANK YOU,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino said, <a href="https://x.com/Scavino47/status/2067523503817977868?s=20">posting a video</a> of the aircraft, saying he has “been fortunate to fly around the world on this iconic plane for 5 1/2 years — of the 35 years it has been serving U.S. presidents.” 
The old Air Force One has been replaced by three Boeing 747-8s, including a luxury jet gifted by the Qatari government that sparked a political firestorm. The so-called “flying palace” is estimated to be worth $400 million, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-defends-400-million-flying-palace-offered-as-gift-from-qatar">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. The other two Boeing-built VC-25Bs that will be used as Air Force One are still undergoing modifications. 
<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/politics/white-house-staff-bids-farewell-to-planes-used-as-air-force-one-for-more-than-35-years">CNN reported</a> that the Qatari jet received significant modifications for its new role as Air Force One, including a major overhaul to equip it with the secure communications and security systems required for presidential travel.
“They made it appropriate for a president, that means the security and all of the different bells and whistles they put on, very complex style, but it&#8217;s really quite something,” Trump said Wednesday. 
&#8220;This is a plane that the United States of America should have. Our Air Force One was 36 years old,&#8221; he added. 
His fight for a new plane cracked open a controversy at the beginning of his second term. In May 2025, multiple reports revealed that the Trump administration was in talks to accept a luxury jet from Qatar, a proposal that sparked bipartisan criticism.
Critics pounced on the president, arguing that gifts from Qatar — a nation that spends heavily to build influence in the United States — rarely come without strings attached.
Pro-Trump activist Laura Loomer <a href="https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/1921615017138618439">urged</a> Trump not to accept the plane, saying, “This is really going to be such a stain on the admin if this is true.”
On Wednesday, Trump rebuffed that criticism, calling the flying White House, which has a red, white, blue, and gold design, “beautiful” and something the country should “be very proud of.” 
“So this was a gift from a country that&#8217;s treated us very well, and they&#8217;re an ally of us over in the Middle East,” Trump said. “Frankly, we couldn&#8217;t build a plane like this because we wouldn&#8217;t be willing to spend the kind of money necessary.”

President Trump Departs D.C. For Camp David For The Weekend

Trump Takes Off On Maiden Voyage For Qatar-Gifted Air Force One

News

President Trump

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump unveiled his brand new Air Force One on Friday afternoon, a gift that the United States government accepted from the Qatari government in 2025.
&#8220;The biggest difference is the difference in size,&#8221; Trump shared as he spoke on Friday, flanked by his new jet, ahead of his trip to Camp David. &#8220;It&#8217;s virtually double the size.&#8221; 
The Boeing 747-8 plane will serve as the new Air Force One. It is valued at $400 million, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/qatar-jet-trump-boeing-pentagon/">according to CBS News</a>. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in 2025 that it was accepted  &#8220;in accordance with all federal rules and regulations.&#8221;
The new plane is painted in red, white, and dark blue with &#8220;United States of America&#8221; in broad lettering on its side. The previous Air Force One was light blue and white, and the president mentioned repeatedly on Friday how much he loved the American color scheme.
&#8220;These are the new colors — red, white, and blue,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We liked the baby blue, but it was time for a change &#8230; I like the color of the American flag.&#8221;
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<div id="attachment_1119801" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-trump-reveals-americas-new-air-force-one/air-force-one" rel="attachment wp-att-1119801"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1119801" class="wp-image-1119801 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Air-Force-One-864x576.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy of the United States Air Force." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Air-Force-One-864x576.jpeg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Air-Force-One-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Air-Force-One-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Air-Force-One-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Air-Force-One-2048x1366.jpeg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Air-Force-One-1800x1200.jpeg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Air-Force-One-1200x800.jpeg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Photo courtesy of the United States Air Force.</div>
The president spoke from Joint Base Andrews, a military base close to Washington, D.C. — where Air Force One, Air Force Two, and other presidential and military planes are housed. He received a tour of the plane with some of his staff as members of the White House press pool watched from below, and then gave the press a tour of the plane as well.
The Air Force announced on Friday that the new plane, a &#8220;VC-25B Bridge aircraft,&#8221; had officially arrived and would soon &#8220;commence its initial commissioning flights, marking the successful delivery of a secure, modified executive platform.
&#8220;Fresh from receiving its new red, white, and blue livery and the final government modifications, the aircraft has entered service to provide critical, secure continuity for the commander in chief,&#8221; the air force said in a release.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The first look at the new Air Force One, gifted to the U.S. from Qatar. <a href="https://t.co/DzhQfGPMyP">pic.twitter.com/DzhQfGPMyP</a>
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) <a href="https://x.com/reaganreese_/status/2068047286681133210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
In a statement, Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink emphasized that &#8220;the safety and security of the commander in chief is our highest priority.&#8221;
&#8220;From the beginning, we meticulously evaluated every requirement to accelerate delivery while maintaining the high standards expected of the presidential mission,&#8221; he noted. &#8220;This effort proves that the U.S. Air Force can move fast without sacrificing quality, security, or reliability.&#8221;
Any aircraft that has the call sign &#8220;Air Force One&#8221; has to meet &#8220;rigorous security requirements&#8221; to make sure that the president of the United States is not only safe and protected, but also fully connected, the Air Force said in a release, noting that the president&#8217;s new plane &#8220;as modified under a disciplined engineering approach that prioritized these exact core capabilities above all else.&#8221;
The new Air Force One has the most advanced technology that is necessary to meet the requirements of the president, prioritizing &#8220;mission over aesthetics&#8221; and leaving most of the interior layout without many changes.
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<div id="attachment_1119843" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-trump-reveals-americas-new-air-force-one/topshot-us-politics-trump-qatar-aviation" rel="attachment wp-att-1119843"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1119843" class="wp-image-1119843 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2281811371-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2281811371-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2281811371-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2281811371-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2281811371.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images</div>
“We are proud to deliver the VC-25B Bridge aircraft to the President,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach said in a statement on Friday. “Many thought it could not be done, but the United States Air Force was able to execute and provide a secure, reliable airborne command post on an accelerated timeline.”
Trump took his last ride in the old Air Force One earlier this week. His White House Director of Communications, Steven Cheung, posted a photo of the plane when the president returned from the G7 summit in Europe, captioning the photo: &#8220;Well done, good and faithful servant.&#8221;

SEE IT: Trump Reveals America’s New Air Force One

President Donald Trump and White House officials are bidding farewell to the Boeing 747-200, known as Air Force One, which has transported U.S. presidents across the nation and around the world for more than three decades.
On Thursday, two White House officials said goodbye to the Air Force One jet after President Trump returned from the G7 summit in Europe. The farewell comes as the first of three aircraft being modified for the presidential role is expected to be delivered soon.
“The last ride,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung <a href="https://x.com/StevenCheung47/status/2067514778684162330?s=20">said on X</a>. “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
“THANK YOU,” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino said, <a href="https://x.com/Scavino47/status/2067523503817977868?s=20">posting a video</a> of the aircraft, saying he has “been fortunate to fly around the world on this iconic plane for 5 1/2 years — of the 35 years it has been serving U.S. presidents.” 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I have been fortunate to fly around the world on this iconic plane for 5 1/2 years — of the 35 years it has been serving U.S. Presidents…
THANK YOU…
AIR FORCE ONE 2900🫡🇺🇸🦅 <a href="https://t.co/tnh8xYtZDU">pic.twitter.com/tnh8xYtZDU</a>
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://x.com/Scavino47/status/2067523503817977868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2026</a></blockquote>
Air Force One is expected to be replaced by three Boeing 747-8s, including a luxury jet donated by the Qatari government that sparked a political firestorm. The so-called “flying palace” is estimated to be worth $400 million, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-defends-400-million-flying-palace-offered-as-gift-from-qatar">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/18/politics/white-house-staff-bids-farewell-to-planes-used-as-air-force-one-for-more-than-35-years">CNN reported</a> that the Qatari jet received significant modifications for its new role as Air Force One, including a major overhaul to equip it with the secure communications and security systems required for presidential travel.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The VC-25B Bridge aircraft has officially arrived at Joint Base Andrews!
More info: <a href="https://t.co/xhurcI0mjL">https://t.co/xhurcI0mjL</a> <a href="https://t.co/zyUpB99jqm">pic.twitter.com/zyUpB99jqm</a>
— U.S. Air Force (@usairforce) <a href="https://x.com/usairforce/status/2068038435114262809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
An <a href="https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/4474728/vc-25b-bridge-program-completes-flight-testing-prepares-for-summer-rollout/">Air Force release</a> in May said the plane had officially completed modifications and was “on schedule to roll out in a new red, white, and blue livery this summer.”
The controversy erupted in May 2025 after multiple reports revealed that the Trump administration was in talks to accept a luxury jet from Qatar, a proposal that sparked bipartisan criticism.
Critics pounced on the president, arguing that gifts from Qatar — a nation that spends heavily to build influence in the United States — rarely come without strings attached.
Pro-Trump activist Laura Loomer <a href="https://x.com/LauraLoomer/status/1921615017138618439">urged</a> Trump not to accept the plane, saying, “This is really going to be such a stain on the admin if this is true.”
At the time, the White House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-defends-400-million-flying-palace-offered-as-gift-from-qatar">said</a>: “Any gift given by a foreign government is always accepted in full compliance with all applicable laws.” 
Still, the president took to social media to blast the critics. 
“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane. Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!! MAGA,” <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114492082555622686">Trump said.</a>
The first VC-25A, tail number 28000, flew as Air Force One for the first time on September 6, 1990, carrying President George H.W. Bush to Kansas, Florida, and back to Washington, D.C., <a href="https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104588/vc-25-air-force-one/">according to the Air Force</a>. A second VC-25A, tail number 29000, later carried multiple presidents on historic missions, including trips to Israel for the funeral of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, and became especially notable on September 11, 2001, when President George W. Bush was rushed to the jet after the terror attacks on the World Trade Center.
It remains unclear exactly when the Qatari jet being converted into a new Air Force One will arrive in Washington and enter service.

HLMl_bIXkAAfNRR

‘The Last Ride’: White House Bids Farewell To Air Force One

Trump Administration

President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States must acquire Greenland, warning that if Washington does not act, the strategically critical territory could fall under Russian or Chinese control. 
Trump’s claim comes ahead of a reported meeting on Wednesday between officials from the United States and Denmark over the future of the Danish-ruled island. 
“If we don&#8217;t take Greenland, Russia or China will take Greenland, and I am not going to let that happen,” Trump told reporters on board Air Force One. “I&#8217;d love to make a deal with them. It&#8217;s easier. But one way or the other, we&#8217;re going to have Greenland.”
Trump later said he has not made an offer to Denmark for Greenland, but argued that Danish officials should make a deal if they don’t want Russia or China to take over. 
“Their defense is two dog sleds,” Trump said. “In the meantime, you have Russian destroyers and submarines and China destroyers and submarines all over the place.” 
On Friday, political leaders in Greenland issued a <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/greenland-trump-reject-acquisition-dont-want-to-be-americans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joint statement</a> saying they wanted to be independent of both Denmark and the United States. 
&#8220;We don&#8217;t want to be Americans, we don&#8217;t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,&#8221; said Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen with four other party leaders. &#8220;As Greenlandic party leaders, we would like to emphasize once again our wish that the United States&#8217; contempt for our country ends.”
&#8220;No other country can interfere in this,&#8221; they added. &#8220;We must decide the future of our country ourselves, without pressure for quick decision, delay or interference from other countries.&#8221;
Last week, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that an American military takeover of Greenland would effectively end NATO.
On Sunday, Louisiana Republican governor and special envoy to Greenland Jeff Landry suggested that Denmark illegitimately took control of Greenland after World War II. 
“History matters. The U.S. defended Greenland’s sovereignty during WWII when Denmark couldn’t. After the war, Denmark re-occupied it—side stepping and ignoring UN protocol,” he <a href="https://x.com/LAGovJeffLandry/status/2010374758290833832">posted</a> on X. “This should be about hospitality, not hostility.”
Landry, who is serving in the role on a volunteer basis, has <a href="https://x.com/LAGovJeffLandry/status/2002950029494124986?lang=en">said</a> his role is to make Greenland part of the United States.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Trump: U.S. Must Acquire Greenland To Stop Russia Or China From Taking Control

Denmark

Greenland

NATO

US-AVIATION-FAA-TRAVEL

I Did A Deep Dive Into The Air Traffic Control Subreddit And What I Found Is Disturbing

air traffic controllers

Airlines

Airplane

airport

Government Shutdown

Leftists

Opinion

Reddit

Trump Derangement Syndrome

The United States Secret Service has discovered an elevated tree stand with a clear view of the area where President Donald Trump routinely disembarks from Air Force One in Palm Beach, Florida.
Eric Trump responded to the news, praising the Secret Service for finding the potential threat and taking care of it.
&#8220;&#8216;Hunting Stand&#8217; — for all the Whitetail on Southern BLVD,&#8221; he began sarcastically before adding, &#8220;Located directly across the street from Palm Beach International Airport, in the median of a major highway … directly facing the Air Force One stairs (200yds). Ps the Secret Service did a GREAT job finding this …&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“Hunting Stand” &#8211; for all the Whitetail on Southern BLVD, located directly across the street from Palm Beach International Airport, in the median of a major highway… directly facing the Air Force One stairs (200yds). Ps the Secret Service did a GREAT job finding this… <a href="https://t.co/WiVVKbt7XH">pic.twitter.com/WiVVKbt7XH</a>
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricTrump/status/1979998338306195922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The elevated stand, which would typically be used for hunting, was discovered on Thursday according to a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/fbi-investigates-hunting-stand-sight-line-trumps-air-force-one-exit-area-palm-beach-airport">report</a> published by Fox News Digital — and appeared to have been there for some time. It has not yet been linked to any potential suspects.
According to USSS chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi, there was no one in the vicinity when the stand was discovered during preparations for Trump&#8217;s arrival at Palm Beach International Airport.
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&#8220;There was no impact to any movements, and no individuals were present or involved at the location,&#8221; he told Fox News Digital. &#8220;While we are not able to provide details about the specific items or their intent, this incident underscores the importance of our layered security measures.&#8221;
The FBI is currently investigating the situation, Director Kash Patel confirmed on Sunday, and is working closely with the USSS
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
USSS spotted a suspicious stand near the AF1 zone in Palm Beach.
The FBI is investigating. <a href="https://t.co/nMCoVP9mKB">pic.twitter.com/nMCoVP9mKB</a>
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1979968163098788164?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Patel gave the outlet a statement, saying, &#8220;Prior to the President’s return to West Palm Beach, USSS discovered what appeared to be an elevated hunting stand within sight line of the Air Force One landing zone. No individuals were located at the scene. The FBI has since taken the investigatory lead, flying in resources to collect all evidence from the scene, and deploying our cell phone analytics capabilities.&#8221;
The discovery marks yet another potential threat against President Donald Trump, who has already survived multiple attempts on his life. He was shot in the ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024 — in an attack that seriously wounded two others and killed firefighter Corey Comperatore. The would be assassin was killed at the scene.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/attempted-trump-assassin-tries-to-stab-himself-in-neck-after-guilty-verdict">Ryan Routh</a>, 59, was recently convicted on federal charges pursuant to his attempt to assassinate the president in Florida — and then attempted to stab himself in the neck upon hearing the verdict.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-ARRIVAL

Secret Service Finds Tree Stand With Clear View Of Trump’s Palm Beach Air Force One Exit

Secret Service Finds Tree Stand With Clear View Of Trump's Palm Beach Air Force One Exit

Hunting

Politics

United States Secret Service

President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that Secret Service Director Sean Curran is addressing what could have been a major security breach after an agent attempted to sneak his wife aboard a transport plane accompanying the president to Scotland.
The incident was first <a href="https://x.com/susancrabtree/status/1949206006178689488">reported</a> by RealClearPolitics National Political Correspondent Susan Crabtree over the weekend. The USSS Dallas agent reportedly flew his wife, a member of the U.S. Air Force, to Maryland, and she received an official Secret Service briefing on the trip. The agent&#8217;s wife then rode a bus to the distinguished visitor lounge at Joint Base Andrews, where she was finally discovered and told to leave, Crabtree reported, citing five Secret Service sources.
Trump told reporters on Air Force One on his way back to the United States on Tuesday that the Secret Service incident was a &#8220;weird deal,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/PhilipWegmann/status/1950256824760095065">according</a> to RealClearPolitics White House reporter Phillip Melancthon Wegmann.
&#8220;Wouldn&#8217;t you think that might be a little dangerous?&#8221; Trump added.
The president said that he had confidence Director Curran would &#8220;take care of it.&#8221;
The agent who attempted to bring his wife along for the president&#8217;s trip to Europe is reportedly in his first year on the job, which means he is still a new trainee, <a href="https://x.com/susancrabtree/status/1949884512944738670">according</a> to RealClearPolitics. The agent has reportedly been in trouble before, as he was written up for misconduct on several occasions while completing his preliminary training at the Rowley Training Center.
Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said that the agency has opened an investigation into the incident.
&#8220;Prior to the overseas departure, the employee was advised by supervisors that such action was prohibited, and the spouse was subsequently prevented from taking the flight,&#8221; Gugliemi added. &#8220;No Secret Service protectees were aboard and there was no impact to our overseas protective operations.”
It&#8217;s unclear if the agent has been suspended as the Secret Service conducts an investigation or if he is still on the job.
The Secret Service has faced public scrutiny for months following the assassination attempt on Trump last July, when a shooter climbed onto a roof near the rally stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, and fired off eight shots before he was shot and killed by Secret Service snipers. Questions still swirl around how the shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to get so close to Trump with a rifle without being stopped by Trump&#8217;s detail.
Weeks later, Secret Service agents sprang into action to stop an apparent assassination attempt on Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
While Trump was in Scotland, security around him was forced to tighten as demonstrators in Aberdeen and Edinburgh gathered to protest his visit to the country, according to the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg4210lygko">BBC</a>.

Donald Trump in Scotland

‘A Weird Deal’: Secret Service Agent On Trump’s Detail Tried To Sneak Wife Onto Plane To Scotland

Scotland

Secret Service

Security

President Donald Trump gave a quick update to reporters aboard Air Force One after completing his annual physical exam at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, taking a swipe at former President Joe Biden in the process.
Trump appeared to be in good spirits and said that he believed he was &#8220;in good shape,&#8221; and said that he had at the very least gotten &#8220;every answer right&#8221; on the cognitive portion of the exam.
WATCH:
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on his annual physical at Walter Reed: &quot;I think I did well&#8230; I felt I was in very good shape — good heart, a good soul&#8230; I wanted to be a little different than Biden. I took a cognitive test, and I don&#39;t know what to tell you other than I got every answer right.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GYJisB1xxV">pic.twitter.com/GYJisB1xxV</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1910859248520606014?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Hey, everybody,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Just got back from Walter Reed &#8230; I think I did well, every test you can imagine. I was there for a long time, the yearly physical. I think I did well, I think they&#8217;re releasing the report on Sunday, the doctors, highly respected doctors. It&#8217;s great, amazing place.&#8221;
After being asked whether he&#8217;d been told he needed to make any changes, he said there were a few, but added, &#8220;I felt I was in very good shape — good heart, a good soul, very good soul. I took — I wanted to be a little different than Biden. I took a cognitive test, and I don&#8217;t know what to tell you other than I got every answer right.&#8221;
&#8220;I took just a lot of different tests having to do with the heart, having to do with other things,&#8221; he concluded, repeating the plan to have the report released on Sunday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had previewed the president&#8217;s plan to be fully transparent with regard to his annual physical earlier in the day, also jabbing at Biden and the previous administration&#8217;s lack of transparency.
WATCH:
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;I can tell you there was certainly a lack of transparency from the former president, from the entire former administration, and frankly, a lot of people in this room when it came to the health and the competence of&#8230; Joe Biden.&quot; 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/wpHOMgCTCc">pic.twitter.com/wpHOMgCTCc</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1910749050363650401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I can tell you there was certainly a lack of transparency from the former president, from the entire former administration, and frankly, a lot of people in this room when it came to the health and the competence of the former President of the United States, Joe Biden,&#8221; Leavitt said. &#8220;There was one of the greatest cover-ups and, frankly, political scandals this nation has ever seen. It&#8217;s been unraveled in recent books that are being written by journalists who engaged in that cover-up and scandal, which is quite ironic.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-DEPARTURE

‘I Got Every Answer Right’: Trump Swipes At Biden After Annual Physical

'I Got Every Answer Right': Trump Swipes At Biden After Annual Physical

Health

Joe Biden

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the federal government should “take over” Washington, D.C., to crack down on crime and address widespread homelessness.
Trump told reporters on board Air Force One that federal authorities should bring law and order to the nation&#8217;s capital and wrest control away from local Democrat leaders who he said aren’t doing their jobs. He is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-set-to-sign-executive-order-targeting-homelessness-and-crime-in-d-c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> set to sign an executive order in the coming days to demand D.C. authorities take steps to clean up homeless encampments and address crime. 
“I think that we should govern the District of Columbia,” Trump said, per the White House pool. “I think that we should run it strong, run it with law and order, make it absolutely flawless.” 
“And I think we should take over Washington, D.C. We could save people from getting killed,” Trump added. “They have a great police department there. Somehow they’re not utilized properly. We should govern D.C. The federal government should take over the governance of D.C. and run it really, really properly.”
Trump said that he liked Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser but that local authorities are “not doing the job.” 
“Too much crime, too much graffiti, too many tents on the lawns, there’s magnificent lawns and there’s tents,” he said. “It’s a sad thing, homeless people all over the place, we’ve got to take care of the homeless.”
He said that with foreign leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and United Kingdom Prime Minister Keith Starmer visiting, there shouldn’t be so many homeless camps around the city. 
“You can’t have tents all over your beautiful, your once magnificent houses and lawns, you just can’t do it,” he said. 
The comments echoed his remarks on the campaign trail when he promised to revitalize the city. 
“We will take over the horribly run capital of our nation in Washington, D.C., and clean it up, renovate it and rebuild our capital city so there is no longer a nightmare of murder and crime,” Trump said last year. 
Trump’s pending executive order related to D.C. would reportedly involve pushing for harsher punishments for violent gun crimes and petty crimes like public urination. It would also enhance protections for national monuments and federal parks. 
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) introduced a bill earlier this month that would end “home rule” established decades ago for District residents to control their own local affairs, and bring the district under the management of Congress. The lawmakers cited violent crime and the city council&#8217;s push to allow non-citizen voting as reasons for the legislation.

The Inauguration Of Donald J. Trump As The 47th President

‘Law And Order’: Trump Says Feds Should ‘Take Over’ Washington D.C.

Homelessness

Muriel Bowser

Washington D.C.

A Secret Service agent stands at the bottom of the stairs while President Joe Biden boards Air Force One – even via the shorter stairs — in order to ensure that the president does not fall.
According to a report from The New York Times, Biden has almost exclusively used the shorter stairs since he tripped on a sandbag during a graduation ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy — and in recent weeks, Secret Service agents have taken to guarding the base of the stairs while the president is on them.
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According to The New York Times, a Secret Service agent is now &quot;positioned at the bottom of the stairs&quot; — even the short stairs — whenever Biden boards or disembarks to make sure he doesn&#39;t trip. <a href="https://t.co/FNlGYMvawQ">pic.twitter.com/FNlGYMvawQ</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1758720477994856499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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From the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/10/us/politics/biden-white-house-aides.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NYT piece</a>:
<blockquote>Even the way Mr. Biden walks to the presidential aircraft is subject to careful management. The president started taking a short flight of stairs directly into the belly of Air Force One, rather than a tall stairway wheeled up to a higher point on the plane, after he tripped and fell over a sandbag during a commencement ceremony this past summer. Now, there is a Secret Service agent positioned at the bottom of the stairs when he disembarks.</blockquote>
The NYT report, titled &#8220;Inside Biden&#8217;s Protective White House,&#8221; detailed a number of other steps that White House staffers have taken to protect Biden — giving him cheat sheets so he&#8217;ll know who to call on at press conferences; abruptly ending events and turning up the music so that Biden won&#8217;t be able to hear or answer questions from the press; and forgoing traditional interviews (like the pre-Super Bowl spot) entirely.
And despite the Biden-Harris campaign promise to be the most transparent administration in history, the NYT refers to the Biden White House as &#8220;cloistered,&#8221; adding that in recent years, &#8220;some of Mr. Biden’s key aides have gone from letting &#8216;Joe be Joe&#8217; to wrapping a presidential cocoon around him that is intended to shield him from verbal slips and physical stumbles.&#8221;

ISRAEL-US-PALESTINIAN-CONFLICT

Secret Service Agent Guards Stairs So Biden Won’t Fall Boarding Air Force One

Secret Service Agent Guards Stairs So Biden Won't Fall Boarding Air Force One

President Joe Biden appears to have outdone himself with the latest in a long series of tall tales — that range from minor exaggerations to partial fabrications — telling a crowd that the late President Ronald Reagan had once made him an extraordinary offer in an effort to save his life.
Biden was referring to the brain aneurysm he suffered in February of 1988, and he credited Reagan with offering him the use of &#8220;Air Force — Helicopter One&#8221; to make sure that he was able to get the emergency medical care that he needed.
WATCH:
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Biden claims Ronald Reagan sent &quot;Air Force Helicopter One&quot; to take him to the hospital when he had a brain aneurysm in the 1980s.
His story &quot;is not supported by either his own autobiography or by Reagan’s daily presidential diary,&quot; according to <a href="https://twitter.com/stevennelson10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@stevennelson10</a>. <a href="https://t.co/hJ9aSy0cud">pic.twitter.com/hJ9aSy0cud</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1734323471847395473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Biden told the story as part of his <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/12/11/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-city-of-philadelphia-receiving-a-safer-grant-award-to-fund-the-philadelphia-fire-department-philadelphia-pa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opening remarks</a> on Monday congratulating the city of Philadelphia for receiving a &#8220;SAFER Grant Award to Fund the Philadelphia Fire Department:&#8221;
<blockquote>I — I would not be here were it not for my local fire company in Wilmington, Delaware. They saved my life. I had a cranial aneurysm. I wasn’t — it was the middle of a snowstorm. Not a joke.
I couldn’t figure out how they were going to — President Reagan was nice enough to send Air Force — Helicopter One to take me down, but it couldn’t fly.  And so, my fire department — my fire department came up, put me in the back, and took me on — in a snow — in a heavy snow on the day I went down to Walter Reed, because that’s where I had to get for this operation.
I got there for a nine-hour operation that saved my life. I — not a joke. My firefighters — the guys I grew up with — they saved my life.</blockquote>
And while the story about the aneurysm was true — Biden did have two separate <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/04/us/biden-resting-after-surgery-for-second-brain-aneurysm.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lifesaving surgeries</a> to correct aneurysms, one on each side of his brain — the rest of his story appears to be at least partially fabricated.
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The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/13/us/biden-is-operated-on-for-aneurysm-in-brain.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Biden was transferred to Walter Reed from St. Francis Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware — and as The New York Post&#8217;s Steven Nelson noted, neither Biden&#8217;s own autobiography nor Reagan&#8217;s presidential diary made any mention of any other transport being offered by the White House at the time.
According to a <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/12/11/news/biden-misnames-presidents-chopper-claims-reagan-sent-it-to-him-post-aneurysm/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The New York Post, Reagan&#8217;s notes from that day did mention Marine One — the name given to any helicopter on which the president is traveling — but only to say that inclement weather had prevented even Reagan himself from using it that morning.
Biden&#8217;s account of his trip to Walter Reed — given in great detail in his 2007 autobiography, &#8220;Promises to Keep&#8221; — also made no mention of any offer from the White House.
&#8220;Weather conditions made a medevac helicopter flight too dangerous. I had no idea what time it was, but I found myself on a gurney, my test results strapped to my chest, being wheeled out the doors of Saint Francis [hospital in Wilmington, Del.] toward a waiting ambulance,&#8221; Biden wrote at the time.
Biden went on during Monday&#8217;s remarks to repeat the often exaggerated tale of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-praises-bidens-maui-speech-where-he-compared-historic-fire-to-small-kitchen-fire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">small kitchen fire</a> that took place in his Delaware home — which firefighters reportedly contained in under 20 minutes — saying that the fire department had saved his wife and his home (and his beloved &#8217;67 Corvette).

President Joe Biden

Biden’s Latest Tall Tale Involves A Brain Aneurysm, A Helicopter, And Ronald Reagan

Biden's Latest Tall Tale Involves A Brain Aneurysm, A Helicopter, And Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

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