President Donald Trump secretly switched planes while departing Turkey last month following a NATO summit, as part of a covert operation triggered by a credible assassination threat from Iran, according to reports from the Washington Post and the New York Times.

Trump had arrived in Ankara aboard a newer Boeing 747-8 jet donated by Qatar but announced on Truth Social that he would leave on the older, baby blue Air Force One “for old time’s sake” to RAF Mildenhall in Britain. However, after boarding the old Air Force One in front of television cameras, he was secretly transported minutes later to a smaller Air Force C-32A military aircraft via an airport catering truck, a US official familiar with the operation told the Washington Post.

The deception aimed to mislead journalists and some White House staff who believed Trump was on the older Air Force One, which was effectively used as a decoy. Reporters were reportedly instructed to keep window shades closed during the flight. The C-32A carrying Trump arrived in Britain around 10:20pm local time, with the older Air Force One and media arriving minutes later.

The operation took place amid escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran, with the US having renewed military strikes on Iran following a breakdown in negotiations. Trump had earlier stated during the summit in Ankara that he was Iran's “number one target.”

White House communications director Steven Cheung did not confirm or deny the reports but described the new Air Force One as a "state-of-the-art aircraft" with security measures to protect the president and his staff. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CBS News that the new Air Force One is "perfectly safe for the president's travels" and will receive additional upgrades in the fall.

The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the details of the plane switch.

Sources