The White House on Thursday defended the security of President Donald Trump’s retrofitted Air Force One after questions arose over why he flew aboard an older presidential aircraft when departing Turkey. White House communications director Steven Cheung said the upgraded aircraft is equipped with advanced security measures designed to protect the president and his staff. Cheung also said the administration uses “every tool at our disposal — including distraction and misdirection” to counter threats against the president, noting that Trump has said America’s adversaries continue to target him.

Trump departed the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday aboard the older, light blue Air Force One and flew to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. He later boarded the newer Boeing aircraft, which was donated by Qatar and retrofitted for presidential use, for the flight back to the United States. Earlier Wednesday, Trump told reporters he chose the older aircraft “for old times’ sake” and said the newer plane was being flown separately so U.S. military personnel at Mildenhall could see it.

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