Trump hid in catering truck in secret plane swap over Iran threat, reports say
US media reveal Donald Trump's covert aircraft switch in Turkey following credible intelligence regarding an Iranian missile threat.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Donald Trump executed a secret plane swap after leaving a NATO summit in Turkey.
- US intelligence detected a credible threat of an Iranian missile targeting the presidential aircraft.
- The president was smuggled out of Air Force One via an elevated catering truck.
- Trump ultimately traveled back to Washington using a luxury jet gifted by Qatar.
Donald Trump covertly switched aircraft while departing from a NATO summit in Turkey last month, executing an elaborate deception in response to potential threats from Iran, according to US media reports. The US president initially boarded Air Force One in plain view of television cameras before being stealthily transferred to a military aircraft using a catering truck, The Washington Post reported.
This clandestine maneuver occurred just a day after the US resumed military strikes against Iran following the collapse of negotiations between Washington and Tehran to end the conflict. Officials disclosed to CBS News that the US had detected a credible Iranian threat to launch a missile at the plane, though the White House has declined to officially confirm the secret swap.
On July 8, footage captured Trump boarding the presidential jet at Ankara airport. However, reports indicate he was covertly transferred to a smaller C-32A military aircraft—a modified Boeing 757 typically utilized by the vice president—via a catering truck raised to the aircraft level on the opposite side of his entry point.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded the C-32A separately using external stairs to create the appearance of a routine flight. Journalists and select White House staff aboard Air Force One were instructed to close their window shades and remained entirely unaware that the president was no longer on board.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Trump subsequently flew to the UK en route to the US, where he reboarded the older legacy Air Force One and was spotted descending upon arrival at RAF Mildenhall. He then transferred to the newly unveiled, Qatari-donated Air Force One to complete his journey back to Washington. During the flight, Trump addressed reporters regarding Iranian threats but omitted any mention of the earlier aircraft switch.
High-level presidential transport security maneuvers of this scale underscore the severe escalation of geopolitical tensions between Washington and Tehran. Utilizing mundane ground vehicles like catering trucks to bypass potential surface-to-air threats highlights the extreme operational security measures deployed when intelligence indicates an active assassination or strike risk against top leadership.
White House communications director Steven Cheung stopped short of directly confirming or denying the reports, noting instead that the new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft equipped with advanced security systems to safeguard the president and his staff. Meanwhile, the Justice Department has initiated investigations into unauthorized leaks surrounding the reporting of security protocols.
Source: BBC World
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