US President Donald Trump denied that security fears were behind his brief stop in the United Kingdom on Wednesday night, as he returned from the NATO summit in Turkey. Mr. Trump changed planes at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, continuing his journey from Ankara on the new Air Force One, which was provided by Qatar.
President Denies Credible Threats
When asked by reporters after resuming the journey whether he was aware of credible threats to the plane, Mr. Trump stated, “I have a threat all the time. I’m number one of their list.” He reiterated his earlier comments on social media, asserting that the plane was sent to Mildenhall to allow US service members to see it.
On Truth Social, he posted: “To honor our brave men and women of the Military, we are sending the brand new, and truly spectacular, Air Force One to Mildenhall Air Force Base, in the United Kingdom, to give them a chance to tour the Aircraft…”
First International Trip for New Air Force One
The trip to Ankara marked the first international journey for the new aircraft. Mr. Trump later shared a picture of service members in front of the plane, describing them as “very excited”.
Earlier, Mr. Trump said he flew from Turkey to the UK on board the previous Air Force One “for old time’s sake”, with reporters asked to keep window blinds drawn during the flight. The president, who noted he was not asked to keep blinds closed in his compartment, suggested the request was likely due to “sleazebags over here”, in an apparent reference to Iran.
RAF Mildenhall: Key Refuelling Station
RAF Mildenhall serves as a main refuelling station for military and VIP aircraft, underscoring its strategic role in such operations.
