The White House pushed back Thursday against questions about President Donald Trump’s decision to fly the older Air Force One when departing the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, insisting the new retrofitted presidential aircraft is fully equipped with advanced security measures.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung stated that the upgraded plane — the Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar and heavily modified — features “high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff.” He added that the administration uses “every tool at our disposal — including distraction and misdirection” to counter ongoing threats against Trump, who has repeatedly said he remains a top target of America’s adversaries, particularly Iran.

Trump left Ankara aboard the older, light-blue Air Force One and later switched to the newer aircraft at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, where he had sent the new plane ahead so U.S. troops could tour it. The President told reporters the move was “for old times’ sake” and to give service members a chance to see the “truly spectacular” new jet.

During the flight from Turkey to the UK on the older plane, reporters were asked to keep their window shades down, though no official explanation was given. Trump later joked that it was probably because of the “sleazebags over here.”

The aircraft switch occurred amid heightened tensions with Iran, following multiple rounds of U.S. strikes and Trump’s declaration that negotiations with Tehran were effectively over. While Trump has openly acknowledged being “No. 1 on the kill list for Iran,” both he and the White House have denied that specific security threats prompted the change in aircraft. 

The episode highlights the constant security considerations surrounding presidential travel during a period of elevated global tensions.