Trump secretly swapped planes from Air Force One to small jet via a catering truck to dodge Iran assassination threat

President Donald Trump covertly departed the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on an alternate military aircraft following an Iranian assassination threat, as reported by The Washington Post. The operation aimed to deceive journalists and White House staff into believing they were on Air Force One, the same jet Trump had used to travel to the summit.

The Post cited material reviewed by its staff, a U.S. official familiar with the operation, and another person with knowledge of the president's travel. The White House did not address the report directly.

Trump initially flew to the summit in a Qatari-gifted, retrofitted jet, but opted to fly partway home on an older model Air Force One to allow U.S. troops based in England to inspect the new aircraft. Upon arriving in Ankara, Trump boarded the older Air Force One at the airport, where he was secretly transferred to a smaller plane via an airport catering truck, which typically transports meals and supplies.

He then flew to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the UK on this smaller jet. The White House and the U.S. Secret Service declined to comment on the matter.

The report raises concerns about the safety of the Qatari-provided aircraft and the unusual measures taken to protect Trump during his return journey from the summit. Paul Eckloff, a former Secret Service special agent, suggested that the covert swap could be either due to actionable intelligence or an abundance of caution given the volatile situation in the region due to wars in Iran and Ukraine. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal called for a congressional investigation, deeming the incident "downright scary."