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Trump Leaves Qatari‑Donated 747 in Europe After Ankara Trip as Security and Cost Questions Mount

President Donald Trump departs Ankara on an older Air Force One instead of the newly donated Qatari Boeing 747-8I after the jet is kept in Europe for tours and inspections.The administration says the plane will visit RAF Mildenhall and other US bases, while defense sources and analysts say the L3Harris Technologies conversion prioritized speed and left the jet without the full electronic countermeasures, missile-defense and decoy systems of the legacy 747-200B.Reporters and watchdogs point to conflicting price tags—the gift is valued near $400M, some accounts put the retrofit above $1B and the presidential-aircraft program has passed $5B—and demand answers about security, procurement and potential conflicts of interest.
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