Report: Trump secretly switched planes in Turkiye over Iran threat

The Washington Post reported on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump was secretly flown out of last month's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkiye, on an alternate military aircraft due to an alleged Iranian assassination threat. The move involved a decoy operation that misled journalists and some White House staff about the president's mode of travel.

According to the report, Mr. Trump had arrived at the summit aboard a new jet gifted by Qatar, retrofitted in red, white, and navy blue. Before departing, he announced he would fly partway home on an older-model baby blue Air Force One plane, saying the new aircraft was being flown ahead to allow U.S. troops at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom to inspect it.

Television cameras captured Mr. Trump boarding the legacy Air Force One jet in Ankara. However, the Post reported that minutes later, he was secretly transferred to a smaller Air Force C-32A aircraft using an airport catering truck, which is typically used to load meals and supplies. He then flew to Mildenhall on that smaller jet, while the baby blue Air Force One continued as a decoy.

The White House did not directly respond to questions about the secret transfer or the reported ruse. In a statement, communications director Steven Cheung said, "As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats." He also defended the Qatari-gifted aircraft, describing it as "a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff."

The Secret Service declined to comment, and the Air Force referred inquiries to the White House.

This development comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran. While Mr. Trump was in Turkiye, the U.S. military conducted large strikes in Iran in retaliation for attacks on merchant shipping in the region. Earlier, intelligence officials had raised concerns about a potential attack on the president or his jet, prompting additional precautions and the decision not to use the newly inaugurated aircraft for the first leg of the return journey.

Paul Eckloff, a former special agent with the Secret Service, told the Associated Press that such an unusual move could indicate either actionable intelligence or a precautionary measure given the volatile regional situation. "I would not say unprecedented, but it is an unusual occurrence," he said.

The Washington Post based its story on material reviewed by the newspaper, a U.S. official familiar with the operation, and another person with knowledge of the president's travel. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the report.