President Donald Trump reportedly used a covert maneuver to evade a credible Iranian assassination threat last month during the NATO summit in Turkey. According to reports first detailed by The Washington Post and also covered by The New York Times, Trump secretly exited the new presidential Boeing 747-8 Air Force One via a catering truck and boarded a smaller U.S. military aircraft. Meanwhile, more than a hundred aides, officials, and reporters were kept onboard an older Air Force One jet, which acted as a decoy, flying towards Britain without being informed of the threat to their safety.

Trump had arrived in Ankara on July 8 aboard the new Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8. At the time of departure, he was seen boarding the older legacy Air Force One, which was used to mislead observers. At about 10:56 p.m., Trump appeared before TV cameras and descended the legacy aircraft’s external stairs, according to a media pool report.

The incident has drawn criticism and calls from Democrats for a congressional briefing to explain why reporters and the public were deliberately misled about the president's actual movements.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung responded to inquiries by stating that the new Air Force One is a "state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff." He emphasized that the aircraft is safe, secure, and equipped with the most advanced technologies necessary for the presidential mission.

Trump himself has acknowledged being "No. 1 on the kill list for Iran" during a NATO news conference, underscoring the seriousness of the threat.

This episode highlights the complex security measures taken to protect the president amid ongoing threats, but also raises questions about transparency with the press and public.

Sources