Trump says secret flight change at directives of Secret Service, plane ultimately used faced 'greater risk'

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump disclosed that he covertly switched planes in Turkey last month at the behest of the US Secret Service, though the plane he ultimately traveled on was deemed more perilous than Air Force One. After a NATO summit in Ankara, Trump was moved from Air Force One to a military aircraft via a catering truck in a covert maneuver triggered by an Iranian assassination threat, according to US media reports.

The White House refrained from announcing the switch, keeping it under wraps until the Washington Post broke the story on Monday. Initial media speculation questioned whether Trump's aides and journalists accompanying him faced heightened risk aboard the presumed presidential aircraft. Trump himself admitted during a Tuesday press conference that "I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk" as he believed it "would be the plane they would more likely target."

After a day of memes speculating Trump's whereabouts in the catering truck, Trump, known for his branding prowess, claimed he strictly adhered to Secret Service instructions and the military's directives. "It's only up to Secret Service. I just follow what they'd like to do, so I go by Secret Service and the military," Trump stated.

"I guess there was a threat out there. I didn't really ask too much about it. I get a lot of threats." The White House had initially claimed Trump flew on Air Force One from Turkey to Britain. However, shortly after his boarding, he discreetly departed the plane via the catering truck and took another aircraft for the flight to Britain, as reported by the Washington Post based on unnamed sources.

Trump had chartered a newly renovated Qatari-donated jet for the NATO summit in Ankara but unexpectedly opted for an older Air Force One upon departure, sparking inquiries about the newer plane's security. This journey marked the first international travel for the upgraded jet, whose rapid enhancements raised questions about its cost and security, coinciding with escalating hostilities with Iran, a neighboring country to Turkey.