Trump Secretly Switched Planes in Turkiye Amid Reported Iran Threat

During his visit to Türkiye for the NATO summit on July 7-8, US President Donald Trump secretly transferred to a different aircraft after reportedly receiving an Iranian assassination threat, according to The Washington Post. The President initially boarded an older Air Force One aircraft at an airport in Türkiye, visible to television cameras.

However, he covertly transferred to a smaller Air Force C-32A aircraft using an airport catering truck, with the intention of concealing his location from the public, journalists, and some White House staff.

The operation followed US forces launching strikes on Iran amid a breakdown in negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Journalists were instructed to keep their window shades closed during the flight, and Trump's deplaning at RAF Mildenhall occurred unusually quickly after reporters were positioned beneath the aircraft. Trump later suggested that the security measure was linked to the threat, stating that the reporters were likely on a dangerous flight due to the "sleazebags" he had to deal with.

The White House defended the security measures, with Communications Director Steven Cheung stating that the new aircraft had been equipped with high-level security protocols to protect the President and his staff. Cheung emphasized that the United States faces numerous enemies and employs every tool at its disposal to address those threats. Trump subsequently flew back to the United States aboard the Qatari-gifted plane.