Trump decoy flight sparked by fears of Iranians with shoulder-fired missile: Official

In a recent operation, President Donald Trump was secretly whisked out of Ankara, Turkey, on a separate Air Force jet amid fears of Iranian adversaries with a shoulder-fired missile, according to a senior administration official. The move, which took place about four or five hours before Trump's scheduled departure, was driven by intelligence suggesting an Iranian terror cell had entered Turkey with a missile capable of neutralizing aircraft.

Furthermore, it was believed that Iranians had gathered crucial information about Trump's itinerary in Ankara.

Following the NATO summit, Trump transferred from the old Air Force One to a military aircraft hidden within a catering container—a covert maneuver carried out discreetly from the traveling press and some White House officials. The White House disclosed this operation following its initial reporting by The Washington Post. Only a limited number of individuals aboard the old Air Force One were privy to the switch, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. All three Cabinet members were informed of the deception due to the perceived threat.

Trump later claimed that the covert flight was orchestrated by the Secret Service and the U.S. military, with the plane being escorted by F-35 fighter jets, a standard protocol for Air Force One. The old aircraft, too, received F-35 escorts, an uncommon occurrence for a plane not bearing the president. Trump maintained that he initially intended to fly on the old Air Force One, not a new Qatari-gifted jet, to allow service members to tour it in the United Kingdom.

However, he was reportedly advised against using the latter due to escalating tensions with Iran. The White House affirmed the use of all available tools to counter potential threats against the president.