Donald Trump secretly swapped planes as he left a NATO summit in Turkey last month, as part of an elaborate ruse in response to a possible Iranian threat, US media report.
The US president boarded Air Force One in view of television cameras before being transported to a military aircraft with the help of a catering truck, the Washington Post said. Journalists and some White House staff on board did not know he had been smuggled out.
Officials told CBS News that the US had detected a credible Iranian threat to fire a missile at the plane. The White House has not confirmed the secret switch.
How It Happened
Trump had arrived in Turkey aboard a newer Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar, but announced that he would leave on the old Air Force One “for old time’s sake.”
On July 8, footage showed him boarding the presidential jet at Ankara airport. But according to the Washington Post, he was then secretly taken to a smaller C-32A military aircraft — a modified Boeing 757 often used by the vice-president — via a catering truck which had been elevated to plane level on the opposite side to where he had boarded.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded the C-32A separately using external stairs in an effort to make the flight appear normal, according to the newspaper.
The Deception
Journalists and some White House staff boarded Air Force One and were reportedly told to close their window shades. They were unaware the president was no longer on board.
Trump then flew to the UK en route to the US, where he reboarded the old Air Force One and was seen descending from the aircraft after it landed at RAF Mildenhall.
During that flight, Trump spoke to reporters on board where he noted the threats posed by Iran but did not mention the earlier plane swap. Asked why reporters had been told to lower the window shades, Trump said: “Because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags we have to deal with.”
He said he had a “threat all the time” on his life, and that he is “number one” on Iran’s “list.”
The Threat Context
US intelligence had previously warned of a specific threat of an attack on Trump or his aircraft, according to earlier reporting by CBS News. The clandestine manoeuvre came a day after the US renewed military strikes on Iran following a breakdown of negotiations between Washington and Tehran to end the war.
Trump had earlier said he was Iran’s “number one target” during the summit in Ankara.
The Aircraft Controversy
The New York Times previously reported on security concerns regarding the Qatari-gifted jet, including that the Secret Service had urged Trump to switch planes on his return from the NATO summit. Several of the publication’s journalists were summoned to testify under oath in response. The Justice Department subsequently told the BBC that it was investigating illegal leaks.
The US has spent months retrofitting the $400 million Boeing 747-8 to prepare it for the president. Older Air Force One planes have laser technology to blind incoming missiles. It is unclear what systems the Qatari jet has.
The Bottom Line
Trump secretly swapped planes at a NATO summit in Turkey after US intelligence detected a credible Iranian missile threat. He was smuggled off Air Force One via a catering truck while journalists and staff flew on the original plane unaware. The elaborate ruse came a day after the US renewed strikes on Iran. The White House has not confirmed the details, but the incident highlights ongoing security concerns as the US continues to retrofit its new $400 million Air Force One.
