Trump says his plane faced 'greater risk' in secret flight change

On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump disclosed that he covertly changed aircraft in Turkey last month under the guidance of the U.S. Secret Service. However, Trump maintained that the plane he ultimately boarded posed a greater risk compared to the Air Force One he initially traveled on. Following a NATO summit in Ankara, Trump was moved from Air Force One to a military aircraft via a catering truck in a complex maneuver aimed at thwarting an Iranian assassination plot, according to U.S. media sources.

The White House did not disclose the plane swap and kept the information under wraps until the Washington Post broke the story on Monday. The White House did not disclose the plane swap and kept the information under wraps until the Washington Post broke the story on Monday. Some media analysts have raised concerns that the covert operation might have placed Trump's aides and journalists traveling with him at additional risk aboard the aircraft presumed to be transporting the president.

In an interview with reporters on Tuesday, Trump expressed his belief that the plane he flew on was at a higher risk. He stated that "I think it was at greater risk because that would be the plane I think that they would be more likely to go for." Following a day of social media memes portraying Trump as hiding in the catering truck, the image-conscious president, known for his penchant for self-promotion, sought to downplay the perceived vulnerabilities of the alternative aircraft.