NPR News: 07-20-2026 9AM EDT

Libby Casey· Host0:00

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Libby Casey. President Trump says the new Air Force One will be temporarily taken out of commission after security concerns were raised about its defense systems. That reporting has become a news story in its own right. NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports.

Danielle Kurtzleben0:17

Trump told reporters yesterday that the plane, which his White House received from Qatar, is going to be getting upgrades.

Donald Trump· Soundbite0:23

You know, it has a lot of capability, but as I understand it, in about a month or so, they're gonna send it to have it be, uh, maxed out. So they're gonna be sending it, and they'll have it be maxed out. It'll take about a month.

Danielle Kurtzleben0:35

Experts have told NPR that the newer jet probably lacks some defensive capabilities other Air Force One planes have, like missile detection, because of how quickly it was retrofitted. The administration has subpoenaed multiple New York Times journalists over their reporting that the Secret Service urged Trump to take an older Air Force One home from a recent trip to Turkey. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News.

Libby Casey· Host0:56

Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange fire. The latest Russian airstrikes left at least three people dead in Ukraine as Kiev launched another wave of drones on the Russian capital. NPR's Charles Maines is in Moscow.

Charles Maines1:08

According to Moscow authorities, city air defenses intercepted some four hundred Ukrainian drones on approach to the capital. Moscow Regional Governor Andrey Vorobyov said several of the intercepted drones had fired to civilian infrastructure, injuring two people, but provided few other details. Yet images circulating on social media suggested an oil refinery was among objects