Trump’s return flight from Ankara sparks curiosity with aircraft switch

President Donald Trump arrived in Ankara for the 36th NATO Summit aboard a new presidential aircraft — a gift from Qatar that had been converted for use as Air Force One. The trip marked the first time Trump had used the new plane for an overseas visit, drawing attention throughout the summit.

Surprising return choice

After the summit concluded, Trump made an unexpected decision. Instead of flying back on the new Air Force One, he departed Türkiye on the older blue-and-white presidential aircraft and flew to RAF Mildenhall in the UK. There, he switched back to the new Qatari-gifted plane to complete his journey to Washington.

Reason behind the switch

Trump later explained the move on social media, saying he chose the older aircraft for the Ankara-to-UK leg “for old times’ sake.” He added that the new Air Force One had been sent to the RAF base ahead of time so that US personnel stationed there could see the aircraft up close. “So the troops could see it. It’s a truly magnificent plane,” he wrote. In a subsequent post, he noted that base personnel were excited to view the new aircraft, and that he had rejoined it in the UK for the final leg to Washington.