Reports Detail Secret Plane Switch by Trump Leaving Turkey Amid Iranian Assassination Threat

President Donald Trump was secretly transferred from Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft during his departure from a NATO summit in Turkey last month as part of an elaborate security operation prompted by a credible Iranian assassination threat, according to multiple U.S. officials and reporting from major outlets.

The operation, which remained undisclosed for weeks, occurred on the evening of July 8 in Ankara. Trump had arrived in Turkey aboard a newer Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar and intended for use as Air Force One. Publicly, the White House and Trump indicated he would depart on an older version of Air Force One, with the president telling reporters at the time that the change was “for old time’s sake.”

In reality, after Trump boarded the older blue-and-white Air Force One in full view of cameras and waved goodbye, he and several aides exited on the opposite side of the aircraft. They entered an elevated airport catering container—normally used to load meals—positioned against the plane. The truck then transported them a short distance across the tarmac to a waiting U.S. Air Force C-32A, a modified Boeing 757 commonly used for senior officials and VIP transport.

The older Air Force One departed with members of the White House press corps and some staff members aboard who were unaware that the president was not traveling with them, effectively serving as a decoy. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded the C-32A separately via external stairs. The smaller aircraft flew to RAF Mildenhall in Britain under a nondescript military call sign, with reports indicating its standard flight-tracking systems were disabled for the leg.

Upon arrival in the United Kingdom, Trump was moved back to one of the larger aircraft before continuing home. The Qatar-gifted plane, the older Air Force One, and the C-32A all departed Turkey separately for the UK.

U.S. officials described the threat as specific and credible, involving Iranian forces or proxies targeting Trump or his aircraft. The ruse was developed relatively quickly after intelligence assessments flagged the danger, amid ongoing hostilities between the United States and Iran. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung stated that there are many enemies of America who have their sights on the president and that the administration uses every tool at its disposal to address those threats.

The details were first extensively reported by The Washington Post, which cited a U.S. official familiar with the operation and supporting materials, and were subsequently confirmed by other outlets including CNN and The New York Times. Earlier public discussion of the plane change had focused on possible limitations in the defensive capabilities of the newer Qatar-donated aircraft compared with the hardened older Air Force One models.

The episode underscores the elevated security measures surrounding presidential travel during periods of heightened tension with adversarial regimes. No injuries or successful attacks occurred in connection with the Turkey departure. Further specifics about the exact nature of the Iranian threat have not been publicly detailed by the administration.