US President Donald Trump secretly switched aircraft during his return trip from Turkey last month to evade a potential Iranian assassination threat, according to reports. The president boarded Air Force One but was then transferred to a military aircraft using a catering truck as cover.
Secret Transfer During Turkey Trip
Mr Trump arrived in Turkey on a Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet donated by Qatar last year. Hours before his departure on 8 July, he announced he would leave Ankara aboard the old Air Force One rather than the new jet he had taken to the NATO summit. He said he was switching planes "for old time's sake," and that American forces at a UK refuelling stop would be able to check out the new plane.
Footage captured by the press showed the president walking into the old Air Force One. CBS News reported that the footage also showed a catering truck visible on the other side of the jet. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also boarded the smaller military aircraft using external stairs to make the trip appear normal.
Ruse to Thwart Assassination Plot
Several minutes later, the truck pulled away and drove off to another US government plane, which the Washington Post reported was an Air Force C-32A. Mr Trump then flew from Ankara to a refuelling stop in the United Kingdom on that military aircraft, unbeknownst to the journalists and White House officials travelling with him aboard Air Force One.
The BBC reports that officials and press members believed they were on the same aircraft as the president. The New York Times and CBS News previously reported that intelligence officials flagged a specific threat of an attack on the president or his jet, which triggered additional precautions.
Security Concerns and Official Response
The journalists and some White House staff aboard Air Force One were told to keep their window shades shut, an unusual request. The security of the Qatar-provided aircraft has also been called into question. The US spent months retrofitting the $400 million Boeing 747-8 to prepare it for the president, according to the BBC.
In a statement to CBS News, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "The new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the president's travels, but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall, which will take approximately one month to complete."
The trip came a day after the US began its 13-day military strikes on Iran. Mr Trump had earlier said he was Iran's "number one target" during the summit in Ankara. Iran's supreme leader has also previously vowed revenge for the elimination of Ali Khamenei, killed by a US-Israeli joint strike in February.
