House Democrat calls new Air Force One ‘a security risk’ for Trump
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) called President Trump’s new Air Force One “a security risk,” as the plane faces controversy for its level of security.
“The actual Air Force One, not the Qatari version, is really — it looks like a plane, but it’s got some capabilities that you wouldn’t believe,” Himes told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union.”
“For one, in air refueling. In-air refueling is one of those remarkable, remarkable things that is really critical for the president’s plane because if something happens, ranging from nuclear war to an airfield not being accessible or whatever, that plane needs to be refueled,” he continued.
Himes added later that “it’s a security risk for the president to be flying this thing around,” when discussing the plane.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that the Secret Service advised President Trump not to leave a NATO Summit in Turkey on the newer Qatari-gifted Air Force One. Sources said Trump left Ankara on the older Air Force One out of an abundance of caution for a potential threat from Iran, per the Times.
On Thursday, the White House defended the new retrofitted Air Force One as safe and secure.
“The new Air Force One 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,” Steven Cheung, White House communications director, said in a statement.
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