President Donald Trump has confirmed that he was secretly moved off Air Force One during his departure from Turkey in July, after the United States detected what officials described as a credible threat linked to Iran. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, August 11, during a visit to Ohio, Trump said the decision to switch planes came from the Secret Service and the military.
Trump's Account of the Plane Swap
"I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go in a different flight, different plane," Trump said. "I just have to do what they say." According to US officials who spoke to CBS News, intelligence indicated Iran may have been planning to fire a missile at his aircraft. The New York Times separately reported that intelligence pointed to an individual near the Nato summit in Ankara who had been spotted carrying a shoulder-fired missile.
The plane swap took place one day after the US resumed military strikes on Iran following the collapse of negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Trump had earlier described himself as Iran's "number one target" during the Ankara summit.
How the Plane Swap Unfolded
On July 8, Trump was filmed boarding the presidential jet at Ankara airport, appearing to depart Turkey in the familiar legacy Boeing 747. Behind the scenes, however, a catering truck was elevated to the aircraft door on the opposite side of the plane, away from the cameras. Trump was then transported via the truck to a smaller C-32A military aircraft, a modified Boeing 757 typically used by the vice-president, which flew under the call sign "Reach 18" rather than "Air Force One."
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded the C-32A separately via external stairs, reportedly to make the operation appear routine. Meanwhile, journalists and some White House staff remained on the original jet, unaware the president was no longer on board. They were instructed to keep their window shades closed throughout. One photographer briefly lifted a shade before being quickly told to shut it, according to a report published Tuesday by the White House Correspondents' Association.
Questions Raised Over Journalists' Safety
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were among those on the decoy aircraft, the New York Times reported, citing two anonymous officials. The clandestine operation has drawn scrutiny over whether the reporters and staff left on the decoy plane were unknowingly placed at risk. Trump pushed back on that concern on Tuesday, 11 August, arguing that the jet he actually travelled on could have been the greater target. "That would be the plane, I think, that they would be more likely to go for," he said.
Jose Zamora, regional director for the Americas at the Committee to Protect Journalists, issued a statement calling on the Trump administration to do better. "Reporters should be informed of credible security threats so they can make informed decisions about their safety," he said. On the return flight, before the swap became public, Trump told reporters: "Because you're probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags we have to deal with," when asked why the window shades had been lowered.
Trump's Response to Iran's Threat
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Trump warned Iran not to attack American assets in the Middle East. Trump stated that if such continues, the US will not hesitate to hit the country with unprecedented force.
