Trump boarded Air Force One in Turkey, then pulled a secret switch over Iran threat
President Donald Trump secretly left Turkey on a third U.S. military aircraft last month after publicly boarding the older Air Force One, part of a security operation prompted by an Iranian-linked threat.
Trump had arrived in Ankara for the NATO summit aboard the newer Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar. Before leaving July 8, he said he would switch to the older presidential jet “for old time’s sake” and boarded that aircraft in front of cameras.
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But Trump did not fly out of Turkey on it.
The Washington Post, which first reported the operation, said Trump and several aides left the older Air Force One through a door on the opposite side of the aircraft and boarded an airport catering truck. They were then taken to a nearby Air Force C-32A, a smaller military aircraft that flew Trump to Britain.
Reporters and some White House staff traveled to Britain aboard the older Air Force One, believing Trump was still with them. The Post reported that the operation kept Trump’s actual location from the public and many senior U.S. officials for hours. Publicly, the White House continued to say Trump had left Turkey aboard the older presidential jet.
CBS News later reported that U.S. intelligence had detected a credible Iran-linked plot to fire a missile at the aircraft carrying Trump as he departed Ankara. The Post said an Iranian assassination threat triggered the broader deception operation.
After arriving at RAF Mildenhall in Britain, Trump appeared before cameras descending from the older Air Force One. The Post said it remains unclear how he moved from the C-32A back to that aircraft. He then boarded the newer Qatar-donated Air Force One for the flight to Washington.
Communications director Steven Cheung said the administration uses “every tool at our disposal” because “many enemies of America” have their sights on Trump.
Trump had also spoken publicly about the danger during the summit, calling himself Iran’s “number one” target.