During the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, Donald Trump surprised many by arriving aboard his new Qatar Force One jet. Despite previous reports suggesting the jet was designated for domestic use due to security concerns, Trump altered plans by sending the jet to RAF Mildenhall in England for refueling, where he intended to give a tour to US troops stationed there. For his trip back to DC, Trump opted to fly on one of the older planes.
The Qatar Force One jet was pre-positioned at Mildenhall and Trump boarded it upon his arrival, marking the first transatlantic flight of the new aircraft. The decision not to use the new jet for the initial leg of the journey was reportedly advised by the Secret Service, citing security and weapon system inadequacies.
At the summit, Belgian PM Bart De Wever joked about Trump’s potential reaction to the US soccer team’s defeat against Belgium. World leaders, including De Wever, avoided sensitive topics with Trump to prevent further agitation, knowing he was already in a jetlagged and irritable state.
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