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President Donald Trump was secretly moved from Air Force One to a military aircraft in Turkey last month as part of a security operation reportedly prompted by a credible threat from Iran, according to reports from The Washington Post and The New York Times.
The operation took place on July 8 following the NATO summit in Ankara. Trump had publicly announced that he would fly from Turkey to Britain aboard an older version of Air Force One, while the newer Boeing 747 donated by Qatar would travel separately to RAF Mildenhall so U.S. troops could view the aircraft.
Trump did board the older Air Force One in front of journalists and cameras. However, according to the reports, he was later removed from the aircraft through an airport catering truck and taken to a C-32A, a military version of a Boeing 757.
The aircraft then flew Trump from Ankara to Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. The older Air Force One, which was carrying members of the presidential press pool and some staff who believed Trump was aboard, followed separately.
The operation effectively turned the older presidential aircraft into a decoy. Journalists traveling aboard it were instructed to keep their window shades closed during the flight. One reporter later described the instruction as "weird."
Trump addressed the unusual security measures while speaking to reporters after arriving in Britain. He said they were "probably on a dangerous flight" and acknowledged the threats against him.
"I'm No. 1 on their list, before you," Trump said when asked about the possibility of a credible threat from Iran. "But if I go, you go, right?"
According to the Post and Times, the decision to secretly move Trump was made after he was briefed about a threat to his life while in Ankara. The operation reportedly involved a small group of senior U.S. officials, including Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
After reaching Mildenhall, Trump was reportedly transferred back to the older Air Force One before appearing publicly and later boarding the Qatar-donated aircraft for his onward journey.
The White House did not directly dispute the reports. Communications Director Steven Cheung said the government uses available measures to protect the president, stating that "there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him."
