Fears Trump's new $400m Qatari ‘flying palace' Air Force One replacement is vulnerable to devastating HACKS
The Boeing 747 - dubbed a "palace in the sky" - could even be blasted out the sky, aviation specialist Jeff Wise believes.
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Trump's new 'palace in the sky' is vulnerable to hacking, experts say
Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
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The lavish $400million plane could even be blasted out of the sky
Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
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Trump sparked concern after he willingly accepted the plush plane from the Qatari royal family, headed by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tanim bin-Hamad Al Thani (L)
Credit: AP
US President Trump, 78, has sparked concern with his willingness to accept the plush flying mansion - worth an estimated $400m (£300m) - from the Qatari royal family.
The 13-year-old mega jet would be kitted out with top-tier communications and security tech before being used as Air Force One to ferry Trump about.
It would need significant retrofitting and clearance from security officials.
But plane expert Wise says it would take years and billions of dollars to reach anywhere near the level of security offered by the existing Air Force One.
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He fears Trump will bypass necessary measures - which could therefore invite hacking or a devastating assassination attempt.
Wise told The Sun: 'This Air Force One would be a major intelligence target for any adversary nation or even our allies, because allies love to spy on each other.
'The United States is being given this albatross that they are going to have to spend billions of dollars on to fix up for the personal use of Trump.
'If your job is to protect the President of the United States or if your job is to protect the secrets of the United States, then this is a massive headache for you.
'This is a plane that does not have secure communications and the anti-missiles defence systems that a normal Air Force One has. It's just wide open.
'This is an administration that is completely irresponsible in the way they use their personal devices. They're using these off-brand apps to communicate. It's just a hacker's dream.'
Donald Trump defends Qatar's gift of a $400 million plane
The main aircraft used in the current Air Force One fleet includes two Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets.
They have been operational since 1990 and are said to be not up to scratch compared to modern planes.
But the Air Force contract with Boeing to replace those aircraft has been plagued by delays and budget overruns.
The original contract was signed in 2018 - but last year Boeing predicted that the jet would not be ready until 2029.
By then, Trump will have left office.
Wise fears shortcuts could be used to get the jumbo jet in operation before the end of Trump's second term - which could spell disaster.
He added: 'If you try to do something quickly, of course it's going to be compromised.
"Of course it's not going to have the same level of capabilities. Now, what are you going to decide to cut? What are you going to decide to leave out?
'It's not realistic that you're going to make it safe in the way that an Air Force One has traditionally been safe. Everything has been traditionally done to a certain standard.
'Of course you're not going to match those standards.'
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The jet would be kitted out with top-tier communications and security tech before being used as Air Force One
Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
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Jeff Wise told The Sun it would take years and billions of dollars to reach to proper standards of Air Force One
Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
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Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (R) shakes the hand of the US President Donald Trump (L)
Credit: AFP
Wise pointed to Iran as one example of a nation that might attempt a missile attack on the potential Air Force One.
Former security advisor to Trump, John Bolton, said earlier this month he and the President are on an 'assassination list' from the seething Middle East country.
It follows the assassination of military leader Qasem Soleimani in 2020, who was killed in a US airstrike ordered by Trump.
Wise continued: 'I would say an increasing number of people would like to target Air Force One.
'America's list of enemies is growing longer and longer as we become an increasingly horrible nation, from the Houthis to the Iranians to the Russians.'
He added: 'It's hard to parse the motives of an adversary. Would they really benefit from killing Trump? You can easily imagine it. Remember, we assassinated one of their leaders.'
Wise warned rival rogue nations will already be wondering how to target the jet.
He said: 'Imagine all the people who surround an airplane when it's on the tarmac at an airport. Refuelers, caterers, security etc.
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The 13-year-old jet could be targeted by Iran, Wise suggested
Credit: AFP
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The plane marks the most expensive gift ever given to a US president
Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
'It's easy to imagine a foreign intelligence service getting their people into this crew and physically having contact with this plane, installing monitoring devices or what have you.
'So anyone who's worth their salt is going to be trying to break through what would normally be considerable defensive measures that would normally surround a plane like this.'
Wise added: 'I think you're looking at this plane being bugged. I think you're potentially having listening devices, recording devices, both audio and radio frequency being installed potentially anywhere on this fairly massive airplane.
'So it would be a huge job to try to sweep it and make sure it's not compromised.'
Trump insists it will benefit US taxpayers by serving as a temporary replacement for Air Force One.
But the plane has raised ethical questions about what would be the most expensive gift ever received by a US President, by far.
Wise has long warned of the potential for evil world leaders to target aviation to hurt the West.
Earlier this month, he warned Russian war monster Vladimir Putin is plotting a deadly cyber attack that could result in planes falling out of the sky.
He pointed towards a string of explosions and cyber attacks Putin has been linked with.
This includes a letter bomb that was planted on a plane to Britain, but instead set fire to a DHL warehouse in Birmingham.
He rocked the aviation industry in 2014 when he claimed Russia had hijacked missing plane MH370 and flew it to Kazakhstan.
Just months later Russia shot down flight MH17, killing all 283 on board during a commercial flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur.
Russia has always denied responsibility.
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Wise suggested that the plane could fall victim to a cyber attack
Credit: YouTube/Spotti Flight
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The Guardian
11 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Leaders in frantic phone diplomacy with Trump ahead of Putin summit on Ukraine
Update: Date: 2025-08-13T09:48:01.000Z Title: European leaders Content: Volodymyr Zelenskyy will join calls with Trump and Vance in last chance to shape US position before Alaska meeting Ukraine will not cede land that could be Russian springboard for new war Jakub Krupa Wed 13 Aug 2025 11.48 CEST First published on Wed 13 Aug 2025 09.42 CEST From 9.42am CEST 09:42 Jakub Krupa will speak with the US president, Donald Trump, and his vice-president, JD Vance, today, consulting ahead of this Friday's summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Representing Team Europe are the host, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, the Finnish president, Alexander Stubb, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, the Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, and the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer. They will be joined by the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Council president, António Costa, and that famous Trump-whisperer, the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte. They will be also joined by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who in a further show of unity with his partners will not only be on the call, but will be joining the host in person in Berlin. The series of calls will begin with internal consultations between and Zelenskyy around 2pm local time, followed by a call with Trump an hour later and a debrief of 'the coalition of the willing' later. The call with Trump will be the ' last chance to substantially shape Trump's thoughts going into the meeting in Alaska on Friday, and repeat some of the red lines put forward by Ukraine. Zelenskyy has previously said Ukraine could not agree to a Russian proposal to give up more of his country's territory in exchange for a ceasefire because Moscow would use what it gained as a springboard to start a future war. Last week Russia indicated it was prepared to consider a ceasefire in the Ukraine war for the first time, in exchange for Ukraine withdrawing from the parts of Donbas it still controlled. Though Trump then suggested that Russia and Ukraine could engage in some 'swapping of territories', Zelenskyy said he understood that Russia was 'simply offering not to advance further, not to withdraw from anywhere' and that swaps were not on the table. With growing uncertainty about which Trump will show up to talks with Putin in Alaska on Friday – the one who repeatedly said was 'disappointed' with Putin, or the one who wants to reset relations with Moscow – this could be one of the most consequential phone calls in years for Europe and Ukraine's future. I will bring you all the key updates here. It's Wednesday, 13 August 2025, it's Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live. Good morning. 11.48am CEST 11:48 Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry's spokesperson Alexei Fadeev said, in comments relayed by Reuters, that Trump and Putin would discuss 'all the accumulated issues' in the US-Russia bilateral relations during their meeting on Friday, dismissing the consultations with European countries as 'insignificant.' 11.31am CEST 11:31 But while today's calls will be all about projecting Europe's unity behind Ukraine, Hungary is very clearly not keen on that at all. After yesterday's criticism from the country's prime minister Viktor Orbán, who refused to sign the EU27's statement backing Ukraine, his foreign minister Péter Szijjártó is the one taking aim at Zelenskyy today. In a post on social media quoting Zelenskyy's calls for ceasefire and peace talks, he said: 'Hungary has been advocating a ceasefire and peace talks for 3.5 years. Ukraine would have been better off if @ZelenskyyUa had done the same. Hundreds of thousands of lives could have been saved and millions spared from fleeing their homes.' It's not entirely surprising to see Szijjártó criticise Ukraine, though: he has long been an advocate for closer talks with Russia, having been awarded the Russian Order of Friendship in December 2021 and being a regular visitor to Moscow in the last few years. In March, Bloomberg reported that Szijjártó visited the Russian capital at least 13 times since the beginning of the full-scale aggression on Ukraine in early 2022, raising some concerns among EU allies. 11.22am CEST 11:22 Just hours before the calls, Ukraine has announced a €500m financing deal to help with the country's energy security, signed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and guaranteed by the EU. The deal gives the state-owned oil and gas company Naftogaz a financing line, the EBRD's largest single loan facility in Ukraine, to cover emergency gas purchases. Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko said that 'for the first time, such a loan is provided under EU guarantee, without a Ukrainian state guarantee.' 'This will allow Ukraine to better prepare for the heating season and provide Ukrainian homes with heat and light even on the most difficult days of winter,' she said. The EBRD's press statement said: The latest EBRD finance to Naftogaz follows major Russian attacks on the company's upstream gas production and processing facilities in the first half of 2025. These have resulted in significant production losses for the year, as the company rebuilds its damaged operations, and created the need for more gas imports. 11.00am CEST 11:00 Andrew Roth in Washington The lessons of Helsinki are clear: putting Donald Trump alone in a room with Vladimir Putin is an unpredictable – and often dangerous – affair. It was 2018 when the two leaders met at the invitation of Sauli Niinistö, the Finnish president, to discuss a collapse in US-Russia relations, accusations of elections interference, and the grinding war in east Ukraine, among other topics. By the time he came out of the room, Trump looked dazzled by the Kremlin leader. Asked at a press conference about the conclusions of the US intelligence community that Russia had interfered in the elections, Trump said: 'President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be.' Somehow, the stakes are even higher as Trump and Putin plan to meet on Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, where Trump has said the two will discuss 'land swapping' in Putin's first meeting with a G7 leader since his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. are fearful that Trump could once again emerge from a closed-door meeting preaching the Kremlin gospel. The White House has been lowering expectations for the summit – a sign that no concrete deal is on the table. 'This is really a feel-out meeting, a little bit,' Trump said during a news conference on Monday. But Putin will still try his luck to shape Trump's image of what a peace deal could entail in a way that will bring maximum benefit to the Kremlin. Putin 'wants a deal with Trump that will be presented to Kyiv and other European capitals as a fait accompli,' wrote John Herbst, senior director of the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center and a former ambassador to Ukraine. The lack of invites for 'has the smell of the Yalta Conference in 1945 … where the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom decided the fate of half of Europe over the heads of those nations'. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Tuesday that the meeting between Trump and Putin would be one-on-one, and a 'listening exercise' for Trump during which he could suss out the Russian point of view. 'That's the way Trump does it. He just wings it,' said Fiona Hill, the former presidential aide. 'And Putin likes sparring … he prides himself on being able to be light on his feet in these kinds of settings,' she said. The lack of advisers in the room has raised a key question: will any agreements made in a private setting, even if interpreters or other notetakers are present, lead to lasting outcomes? 10.25am CEST 10:25 In his latest update before travelling to Berlin, Zelenskyy repeated his key lines about 'putting pressure on Russia' to achieve a peace settlement. But in what feels like a pointed warning about Putin, he added: We must learn from the experience of Ukraine, our partners, to prevent deception by Russia. There is no sign now that the Russians are preparing to end the war. He said that 'our coordinated efforts and joint steps … can definitely force Russia to make peace.' 10.11am CEST 10:11 As part of what promises to be a very busy day for diplomacy, we are also expecting to get press statements from Merz and Zelenskyy around 3pm BST (4pm CEST), after their call with Trump. So to help you plan your day, the rough timings appear to be: 1pm BST, 2pm CEST – Internal Europe call with Zelenskyy2pm BST, 3pm CEST – Call with Trump and JD Vance 3pm BST, 4pm CEST – Press statements by Merz and Zelenskyy, call with 'the coalition of the willing' Updated at 10.20am CEST 9.43am CEST 09:43 The German government's spokesperson has confirmed that Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be 'working in Berlin' today, joining Merz in person for the call with Trump and Vance. The pair is also expected to meet for a separate bilateral meeting, expected to be a further show of support from the German chancellor. 9.42am CEST 09:42 Jakub Krupa will speak with the US president, Donald Trump, and his vice-president, JD Vance, today, consulting ahead of this Friday's summit with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Representing Team Europe are the host, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, the Finnish president, Alexander Stubb, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, the Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, and the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer. They will be joined by the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Council president, António Costa, and that famous Trump-whisperer, the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte. They will be also joined by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who in a further show of unity with his partners will not only be on the call, but will be joining the host in person in Berlin. The series of calls will begin with internal consultations between and Zelenskyy around 2pm local time, followed by a call with Trump an hour later and a debrief of 'the coalition of the willing' later. The call with Trump will be the ' last chance to substantially shape Trump's thoughts going into the meeting in Alaska on Friday, and repeat some of the red lines put forward by Ukraine. Zelenskyy has previously said Ukraine could not agree to a Russian proposal to give up more of his country's territory in exchange for a ceasefire because Moscow would use what it gained as a springboard to start a future war. Last week Russia indicated it was prepared to consider a ceasefire in the Ukraine war for the first time, in exchange for Ukraine withdrawing from the parts of Donbas it still controlled. Though Trump then suggested that Russia and Ukraine could engage in some 'swapping of territories', Zelenskyy said he understood that Russia was 'simply offering not to advance further, not to withdraw from anywhere' and that swaps were not on the table. With growing uncertainty about which Trump will show up to talks with Putin in Alaska on Friday – the one who repeatedly said was 'disappointed' with Putin, or the one who wants to reset relations with Moscow – this could be one of the most consequential phone calls in years for Europe and Ukraine's future. I will bring you all the key updates here. It's Wednesday, 13 August 2025, it's Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live. Good morning.
Reuters
11 minutes ago
- Reuters
Insight: How the unraveling of two Pentagon projects may result in a costly do-over
WASHINGTON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Donald Trump's Navy and Air Force are poised to cancel two nearly complete software projects that took 12 years and well over $800 million combined to develop, work initially aimed at overhauling antiquated human resources systems. The reason for the unusual move: officials at those departments, who have so far put the existing projects on hold, want other firms, including Salesforce and billionaire Peter Thiel's Palantir, to have a chance to win similar projects, which could amount to a costly do-over, according to seven sources familiar with the matter. Trump took office vowing to rid the government of what he calls waste and abuse. The website of the Department of Government Efficiency, the agency he created to spearhead those efforts, lists over $14 billion in Defense Department contracts it claims to have cancelled. But seven months into his presidency, some of his own actions have complicated DOGE's work, from firing the Pentagon's inspector general to issuing an executive order prioritizing speed and risk-taking in defense acquisitions. Coupled with high-level vacancies in the Navy and Air Force that persisted well into the summer, the moves limit oversight of the Pentagon's contracting process and risk wasting hundreds of millions of additional taxpayer dollars as old projects are thrown out and new projects are agreed to, Reuters reporting based on sources, internal emails and documents, shows. 'There is a very real sense that we are in the regulatory Wild West with this administration – and it should come as no surprise that the traditional limits of 'normal contracting' are repeatedly going to be pushed and pressed in this environment,' said Franklin Turner, a federal contracting lawyer at McCarter & English. He said it is legal for the government to terminate any contract "for convenience," but said the Pentagon would be on the hook to reimburse the companies for wind-down costs plus take on the cost of any new replacement project. Trump officials say the administration is striving to make the contracting process more efficient. "Defense Secretary Hegseth is doing a great job restoring a focus on warfighters at the DOD while carrying out the American people's agenda to more effectively steward taxpayer dollars," White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said in a statement. Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said the agency is taking "swift action" to fix the "antiquated" defense contracting process by implementing Trump's executive orders. "This is how we will rebuild the military with necessary speed while ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely in the process,' she added. In 2019, Accenture said it had won a contract to expand an HR platform to modernize the payroll, absence management, and other HR functions for the Air Force with Oracle (ORCL.N), opens new tab software. The project, which includes other vendors and was later expanded to include Space Force, grew to cost $368 million and was scheduled for its first deployment this summer at the Air Force Academy. An April "status update" on the project conducted by the Air Force and obtained by Reuters described the project as "on track," with initial deployment scheduled for June, noting that it would end up saving the Air Force $39 million annually by allowing it to stop using an older system. But on May 30, Darlene Costello, then-Acting assistant Secretary of the Air Force, sent out a memo placing a "strategic pause" on the project for ninety days and calling for the study of alternate technical solutions, according to a copy of the memo seen by Reuters that was previously unreported. Costello, who has since retired, was reacting to pressure from other Air Force officials who wanted to steer a new HR project to SalesForce (CRM.N), opens new tab and Palantir (PLTR.O), opens new tab, three sources said. Palantir co-founder Thiel was an early backer of President Donald Trump and has close ties with key Washington lawmakers, including Vice President JD Vance, whom he supported in a 2022 U.S. Senate race. Palantir in April won a $30 million contract from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to develop an operating system that identifies undocumented immigrants and tracks self-deportations, its largest single award from the agency among 46 federal contract actions since 2011. The Air Force said in a statement that it "is committed to reforming acquisition practices, assessing the acquisition workforce, and identifying opportunities to improve major defense acquisition programs." Accenture, Costello, Palantir and SalesForce did not respond to requests for comment. Space Force, which operates within the Air Force, was set to receive the Air Force's new payroll system in the coming months. But it is also pulling out of the project because officials there want to launch yet another HR platform project to be led by Workday (WDAY.O), opens new tab, according to three people familiar with the matter. The service put out a small business tender on May 7 for firms to research HR platform alternatives, with the goal of selecting a company that will recommend Workday as the best option, the people said. Space Force did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Now the Air Force and Space Force "want to start over with vendors that do not meet their requirements, leading to significant duplication and massive costs," said John Weiler, director of the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council, a government-chartered nonprofit group that makes recommendations to improve federal IT contracting. Oracle said in a statement it was "working closely with DOGE to accelerate the government's transformation to modern technology at the best price for the taxpayer." In 2022, the Honolulu-based Nakupuna Companies took over a 2019 project with other firms to integrate the Navy's payroll and personnel systems into one platform using Oracle software and known as "NP2". The project, which has cost about $425 million since 2023, according to the Government Accountability Office, was set to be rolled out earlier this year after receiving a positive review by independent reviewer and consulting firm Guidehouse in January, according to a copy obtained by Reuters. But the head of Navy's human resources, now retired Admiral Rick Cheeseman, sought to cancel the project according to a June 5 memo seen by Reuters, directing another official to "take appropriate contractual actions" to cancel the project. Navy leaders instead mandated yet another assessment of project, according to a memo seen by Reuters, leaving it in limbo, two sources said. Cheeseman's reason for trying to kill the project was his anger over a decision by DOGE earlier this year to cancel a $171 million contract for data services provider Pantheon Data that essentially duplicated parts of the HR project. In an email obtained by Reuters, he threatened to withhold funding from the Nakupuna-led project unless the Pantheon contract was restored. "I am beyond exasperated with how this happened," Cheeseman wrote in a May 7 email to Chief Information Officer Jane Rathbun about the contract cancellation, arguing the Pantheon contract was not "duplicative of any effort." "From where I sit, I'm content taking every dime away from NP2 in order to continue this effort," he added in the email. Cheeseman did not respond to a request for comment. Rathbun and Pantheon Data declined to comment. The pausing of NP2 was "unexpected, especially given that multiple comprehensive reviews validated the technical solution as the fastest and most affordable approach," Nakupuna said in a statement, adding it was disappointed by the change because the project was ready to deploy. The Navy said it "continues to prioritize essential personnel resources in support of efforts to strengthen military readiness through fiscal responsibility and departmental efficiency."
Daily Mail
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Villagers near JD Vance's Cotswold's mansion claim they were 'quizzed by police for social media details' as VP's security lockdown sparks outrage among locals
British police protecting JD Vance have denied claims officers ordered villagers living near the US Vice President's Oxfordshire holiday home to hand over their social media details as part of a major security lockdown measure. Donald Trump 's deputy has been touring the Cotswolds and south of England with his wife, Usha, and children Ewan, eight, Vivek, five and Mirabel, three - while also meeting with high-power figures in British politics. But the ring of steel surrounding the Vice President and his family has proven to be a headache for locals in the sleepy communities of Chipping Norton and Dean, with Vance's 18-strong motorcade causing mayhem through the picturesque rural idylls. Now, people living within the security cordon around Vance's rental Cotswold manor house, have claimed the stringent measures to protect the American politician saw cops ordering them to hand over the account names of their social media profiles. Thames Valley Police insisted villagers living in the security buffer in Dean were only spoken to by officers to ensure they could pass through the blockade unhindered. The force vehemently denies people were asked about their social media accounts. However, speaking to the Observer, one dog walker from hamlet said: 'We have had the police knocking on every door. They wanted the names of everybody living there and details of their social media. I know several people refused. 'We asked them if they were protecting us, or Vance. At least they were honest and said it is for him and that it will all be passed on to the American security people.' The claims have since sparked a row on social media, with Academic Professor Marc Owen Jones - who is a British disinformation expert at the Northwestern University in Qatar - branding the allegation 'appalling'. 'The police are asking local Cotswolds residents for their social media handles to be passed onto (sic) JD Vance's security detail. Glad to hear some people refused,' he wrote on X. 'Honestly the nerve of it, especially for the man who criticised Europe for censorship.' Another person wrote: 'Under what authority are they requesting people's social media identities? I sincerely hope everybody told them to f*ck off.' Speaking to the Daily Mail amid the furore, a spokesman for Thames Valley Police insisted officers did not ask for details of people's online profiles - and that the Vice President's security detail had not requested officers to obtain such information. 'Thames Valley Police is supporting the United States during the Vice President's visit to our area to ensure the safety of all involved,' the official said this morning. 'A restricted access area has been put in place in a small part of Dean as part of our operation. 'We spoke to affected residents to ensure we are able to facilitate movement within the restricted access area. Residents were under no obligation to answer any questions and were not asked about social media.' News of the row comes after Jeremy Clarkson joined the Cotswolds backlash against holidaying US Vice President yesterday. The presenter revealed his new summer neighbour has interrupted the filming of Clarkson's Farm as the secret service swarms the surrounding countryside and a no–fly zone has been put in place. Police are seen manning a security check point on a road in the Hamlet of Dean where Mr Vance is staying at a rented holiday house with his family The vice presidents 18-strong motorcade has caused misery for locals in the Cotswolds. It has led to roads in Chipping Norton (pictured) being closed The Vice President's visit to the Cotswolds has already attracted some criticism with locals complaining of disruption and left–leaning protesters flocking to the area. Motoring journalist-turned-farmer Clarkson said the one–mile no fly zone around Vance's Cotswolds manor house rental is preventing drone cameramen on his Amazon Prime show from doing their job. The no fly zone has been set up for security reasons while Mr Vance is in residence in the hamlet of Dean for the rest of August. He posted a picture on Instagram showing the no-fly zone, including his own farm, Curdle Hill Farm – also known as Diddly Squat because, he has claimed, that's how much money he stands to make from it. The TV star captioned the map: 'The JD Vance no fly zone. We are the pin. So on the downside, no drone shots today. On the upside, no annoying light aircraft.' And Clarkson isn't the only one frustrated by Vance's presence in Chipping Norton, with the presenter's right hand man Kaleb Cooper complaining that the extra security had derailed him from his own farming duties. The Vice President's visit has already attracted criticism with locals complaining of disruption and left–leaning protesters flocking to the area (Pictured: a small protest in Chevening ahead of Mr Vance's visit) A woman hold up a Colin the Caterpillar cake with a picture of the JD Vance meme as part of protests against Vance's visit to the UK And it's not just Clarkson who has had a run in with the US vice president. The former Top Gear presenter turned farmer's right hand man Kaleb Cooper also had an encounter. In a comment on Instagram the farmhand revealed that his own farming duties were derailed by the Republican politician's visit. The farmer – who has his own land and has spun out a successful entertainment career of his own – said his wheat transportation was held up by the convoy as it passed through Chipping Norton. He also slammed Vance for his conspicuous presence in the area, writing on Instagram: 'My wheat got wet in the trailer last night as the convo stopped me in the rain in Chippy. 'I could easily have went on my way and got it in the shed without getting in the way.' Adding several laughing emojis, he noted: '(If) he had just drove around in a VW Polo nobody would know who he was.' The Daily Mail revealed the close proximity of Mr Vance's manor house rental to Clarkson's farm last week. The enormous property, Dean Manor, is located in a tiny hamlet of just 12 houses in Oxfordshire, and was picked out by US secret service personnel because of its remote secure location. Stone walls 15ft tall protect its immaculately manicured six–acre gardens. The house, which was built 1702 in the reign of Queen Anne, is surrounded by teams of US secret service operatives dressed in regulation navy blue sports jackets and khaki chino trousers who are guarding the property around the clock. The manor house's owner, Pippa Hornby, was also sworn to secrecy on the imminent arrival of her new high–profile tenant. It is believed the rental may cost as much as £8,000 a week. When asked by the Daily Mail about JD Vance's rental of her home, she would only say: 'Thanks so much but we have no comment to make.' Locals however were rather more forthcoming and confirmed the upcoming arrival of Donald Trump's deputy yesterday, while the activity around the manor house itself left little doubt that a very prominent high profile American political figure was indeed on their way. In the grounds of Dean Manor, American secret service personnel in dark glasses, talking into ear–pieces, were dotted around its four corners keeping watch. On the main gateway of the property, leading to a sweeping 'in and out' driveway, two suited security guards were checking the security clearance of those coming and going in a stream of blacked out cars and Mercedes limousine vans. In an adjoining field, an impromptu circular helicopter landing pad had also been mown into the grass. Within the grounds, teams of gardeners had been drafted in to make the lawns and pretty herbaceous borders look immaculate. Cars and security guards at the £8,000 a week manor house built in 1702 in the reign of Queen Anne and previously owned by Tory peer Peter Selwyn Gummer, Baron Chadlington The vice presidential convoy making its way through Chipping Norton with blacked out windows Officers are checking the identity of residents trying to pass through the security cordon, watched on by dozens of Secret Service agents Dean Manor is famous for its picturesque gardens, viewable by appointment – but the manor has been locked down for Mr Vance's visit between the middle and the end of August. Beyond its high honey–coloured Cotswold stone walls, it is surrounded by woodland with the occasional public footpath and public bridleway running nearby. Fittingly for right–wing Republican Vice President Mr Vance, the manor house has a history of Tory political figures as previous owners. It even has a former Tory Prime Minister living a very short stroll away. Dean Manor was built in 1702 for local Oxford Tory MP Thomas Rowney and is grade II listed. It was until recently owned by Tory peer Peter Selwyn Gummer, Baron Chadlington. Former Tory Prime Minister David Cameron – who is also known as Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton – also lives in Dean with his wife Samantha and he has a permanent team of armed Metropolitan Police Protection officers at his home there. Dean Manor is about as close a neighbouring property to Clarkson's own Cotswolds home, Curdle Hill Farm, better known as Diddly Squat Farm, can be. They are a mile apart as the crow flies, separated mainly by Clarkson's own arable fields. One local who did not wish to be named said: 'Dean Manor is as close as possible to Mr Clarkson's farm house as can be. I'm willing to bet Clarkson can see it out of his bedroom window.' More signs were placed along gates and fences in the local area as part of the backlash against Vance's visit All of which might make Clarkson feel a little awkward this summer after he made a particularly caustic attack on the very same JD Vance in a recent Sunday Times column of his. In March of this year, probably around the time that the US Vice President and his secret service operatives were making plans for his Cotswolds summer break, Clarkson issued a strong response to Mr Vance following his comments about the British and French armed forces. Vance was recently condemned for describing the UK as 'some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years' amid rising tensions between Europe and the US as to how Ukraine can be supported in their conflict with Russia. The US vice president was accused of erasing the experience of Britons who served in Iraq and Afghanistan after his latest tirade against America's European allies. Vance told Fox News: 'If you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine. 'I've searched for the right word to describe him and I think it's "t**t". He also has no clue about history. 'Because far more recently than 30 or 40 years ago, as Vance claimed last week, our brave young men were being blown to pieces in some godforsaken desert to support whatever madcap scheme the American president had embarked upon that week. 'And let's not forget that while they were out there, dying in agony, the UK was still paying the US back for all the weapons we'd bought from them to defeat Hitler in the Second World War. In fact, the last payment for all their 'help' was for £43m in 2006. 'And while we are on the subject of the Second World War, let's not forget that what Trump is doing in Ukraine is like Franklin Roosevelt saying to Churchill: "Look, Hitler has taken Poland so just let him have it".'
