TRUMP DOOMSDAY PLANE LEFT NEBRASKA AND FLEW EAST ACROSS AMERICA - NOBODY IS SAYING WHY

What happened: An Air Force E-4B "Nightwatch" airborne command post took off from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on Thursday and flew east across the Midwest. The purpose of the flight and who was aboard have not been publicly confirmed. Key numbers: Tracked at about 2:41 p.m. Eastern at 31,000 feet and 573 knots, roughly 660 mph. Why it matters: The same jets fly routine training and readiness missions, and a flight from their home base is not in itself a sign of an emergency. The airframes are a 1970s design and the Air Force is paying for their replacement. Coverage: 4 outlets in 24h

An Air Force E-4B "Nightwatch" airborne command post took off from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska on Thursday and flew east across the Midwest. The purpose of the flight and who was aboard have not been publicly confirmed.

The same jets fly routine training and readiness missions, and a flight from their home base is not in itself a sign of an emergency. The airframes are a 1970s design and the Air Force is paying for their replacement.