U.S. President Donald Trump undertook a covert military journey from Turkey recently due to an identified Iranian threat, involving a discreet switch between aircraft using a catering truck. Initially reported as a routine Air Force One flight from Turkey to Britain after attending a NATO summit, Trump secretly transferred to another plane through the catering truck upon boarding the first aircraft, as revealed by sources cited in the Washington Post.
Confirming the incident, Trump stated that the Secret Service and military authorities advised him to switch planes for security reasons, emphasizing that the threat did not intimidate him. He minimized the perceived risk to the individuals left on the original plane, including White House officials, security personnel, and journalists.
During a press interaction following his return from an event in Ohio, Trump acknowledged the necessity of changing planes due to the security concern, admitting he did not inquire deeply about the specifics of the threat. He remarked, “I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it,” while noting that he frequently receives various threats.
The decision to switch planes raised queries regarding security measures, particularly since Trump had initially used a newly refurbished jet donated by Qatar for the NATO summit in Ankara but switched to an older Air Force One for the return trip. This unexpected change sparked discussions about the security and expenses related to the newer aircraft, coinciding with heightened tensions with Iran, Turkey’s neighboring country.
Before departing Ankara, Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, his intent to use an older Air Force One aircraft for the journey to RAF Mildenhall in Britain, while the new plane made a stop at the same base for U.S. service members to view it. Journalists traveling with Trump on the older Air Force One, which functioned as a decoy, were instructed to keep their window shades closed, leading to speculation among some White House staff that the president was onboard.
Responding to questions about the closed window shades during the flight, Trump cryptically remarked that it was likely due to the perceived risk of the journey, adding a rhetorical question to the journalists, “But if I go, you go. Right?”