Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump had the perfect answer for reporters aboard Air Force One when asked about the possibility of Iranian threats against the important aircraft.
On the heels of a high-level NATO summit in Turkey, President Trump revealed earlier this week that the newly minted Air Force One would make a detour to Mildenhall Air Base in the United Kingdom – while he would use a different plane.
This sparked reporters’ curiosity.
As reported by RSBN, while the newly upgraded Boeing 747, gifted by Qatar, headed to the UK, President Trump revealed that he would depart Turkey on the older Air Force One, which has been in use since the 1990s.
“For old time’s sake, we’ll be taking the former Air Force One, from Turkey to Mildenhall, a short trip that is totally worth doing in order to give our Great Military Heroes a chance to appreciate our beautiful new addition to the Air Force Fleet!” the president said, noting that the plane would be shown off to U.S. troops stationed in the UK.
One reporter on Wednesday asked the president if any specific concerns had caused them to change planes. “No, no,” President Trump said. “Why would there be?”
Reporters also noted that they were instructed to keep the shades on the plane’s windows drawn.
“You’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags that we have to deal with,” President Trump replied, presumably referring to Iran.
Another reporter asked if he was aware of “any credible threat by Iran against Air Force One.”
The president remarked, “I have a threat all the time. I’m number one on their list, before you. But if I go, you go, right? So, perhaps [some of you] want to change professions.”
Following the surprising plane switch, President Trump published a statement confirming that he had “met up with our new Air Force One” on the way home from Turkey.
“We just landed and met up with our new Air Force One, which was sent earlier to RAF Mildenhall, so we could show the wonderful Servicemembers, as per the entire Base’s request,” the president wrote. “They were very excited, picture enclosed. It was on our way back to the States from Turkey, with virtually no deviation of flightpath.”
