The Secret Service reportedly urged President Donald Trump to fly home from Turkey on the old Air Force One instead of the new Qatari-donated jet as a precautionary measure.
The recommendation came after hostilities between the United States and Iran resumed during Trump's trip to Turkey for the NATO summit, The New York Times first reported.
The Secret Service advised using the legacy presidential aircraft out of an abundance of caution, even though officials said there was no specific or credible threat against the president.
The move highlighted the extensive security measures employed to protect the commander in chief during periods of heightened international tension.
Trump departed Turkey aboard one of the older Boeing VC-25A aircraft that has served as Air Force One for decades before reconnecting with the newly retrofitted Boeing 747-8 at RAF Mildenhall in England for the flight back to Washington, the Times and ABC News reported.
Passengers aboard the older aircraft were instructed to keep their window shades down during departure, while flight-tracking data indicated the aircraft's transponder was not activated until it had crossed the Black Sea, a security practice often used when transporting the president through potentially higher-risk environments.
Trump publicly denied that security concerns prompted the aircraft change, saying the newer jet traveled separately so U.S. service members stationed in England could tour what he described as the "magnificent" aircraft.
At the same time, the president acknowledged the dangers posed by Iran.
"I'm No. 1 on the kill list for Iran," Trump told reporters, later adding that passengers were "probably on a dangerous flight" because of the threats posed by Tehran.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung defended the new aircraft, saying it is "a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the president and his staff."
Cheung added that because "many enemies of America have their sights" on Trump, the administration employs "every tool at our disposal — including distraction and misdirection — to address those threats."
Still, the decision to use the older aircraft has renewed scrutiny over the capabilities of the Qatari-donated jet, which the Air Force retrofitted over roughly a year at a cost estimated close to $400 million.
According to the Times, current and former defense officials have questioned whether the accelerated timeline allowed installation of every classified defensive feature found aboard the long-serving VC-25As, including advanced missile countermeasures and hardening against electromagnetic pulse attacks.
The Air Force has maintained that the aircraft meets all required security, safety, and communications standards while noting that some highly complex engineering modifications planned for the next-generation Air Force One fleet were intentionally excluded from the interim "bridge" aircraft.
Meanwhile, officials emphasized that the Secret Service's recommendation reflected prudent security planning during a period of escalating conflict rather than any identified threat to the president.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.