A recent operation involving President Trump quietly transferring from Air Force One to a different aircraft happened shortly after U.S. and Turkish intelligence services detected an Iranian threat to launch a missile at the presidential jet, CBS News reports.
The decision to transfer Mr. Trump to another aircraft took place during the NATO conference in Ankara. As explained by law enforcement and U.S. officials, the president arrived in the Turkish capital on a retrofitted Boeing 747 from Qatar’s government. An older Air Force One jet from the 1990s also landed as a support plane.
Before leaving the summit on July 8, intelligence agencies, including the NSA, CIA, and MIT, discovered potential plans by Iran to target Air Force One with a surface-to-air missile. Officials noted reports of a team in Turkey tasked with executing the plot, though further investigations did not confirm such a team.
With the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict reaching almost half a year, officials describe a persistent threat from Iran against Mr. Trump. Recently, Mr. Trump publicly acknowledged this risk, referring to himself as the top target for Iran during a news conference before leaving Ankara.
The National Security Council, White House Military Office, and Secret Service coordinated the plane swap decision with Washington, D.C. authorities. Mr. Trump announced on Truth Social his preference for the older Air Force One, citing nostalgia.
Press footage showed Mr. Trump boarding the vintage jet at the airport. Shortly after, a catering truck was seen moving away from the aircraft, driving to a U.S. Air Force-operated C-32A jet. It was revealed that Mr. Trump, along with aides and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was inside the truck. They boarded the C-32A, which then flew to a U.K. base.
The other plane, publicly identified as Air Force One, followed the same route with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, top White House aides, and journalists. Rubio and Bessent understood the president was not onboard, but the reporters and some staff were uninformed.
Upon reaching the U.K., Mr. Trump transitioned to the new Qatari-donated Air Force One for his return to Washington, D.C. Details of the decoy operation surfaced this week via various media reports.
According to law enforcement sources, the switch was part of a strategic misdirection, not meant to increase anyone’s risk. Mr. Trump commented on the decision, saying the military and Secret Service advised him to change planes due to threats.
“I think, actually, the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,”Mr. Trump remarked when questioned on safety concerns.
He stated that as a significant president, he expected numerous threats. Sara Cook added to this report.
Leave a Reply