A threat that the Air Force One plane could become a target of a missile fired from a man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) forced the Secret Service to secretly transfer President Donald Trump to an unmarked government plane during his visit to Turkey last month, an informed source reported on Wednesday.
This threat emerged on the last day of Trump’s visit to Ankara for a NATO summit amid rising tensions in relations with Iran, according to the source. The Secret Service deemed the threat real and immediate, leading to an emergency operation to conceal the movements of the U.S. president. The source refused to disclose where the intelligence information came from.
President Trump and a small group of his aides used a catering truck to secretly transfer from the large blue-and-white presidential plane to a smaller, inconspicuous C-32A jet for departure from Turkey on July 8. Meanwhile, Air Force One took off separately, carrying high-ranking administration officials, White House staff, and accredited journalists, according to the source.
Secret operation and Trump’s explanation
Trump told journalists on Tuesday that he made the transfer at the direction of the Secret Service, which is responsible for the president’s security. He flew safely from Ankara to the United Kingdom, where the plane made a refueling stop. “I think the plane I was on was actually in more danger,” Trump told journalists without providing evidence. “I think it was in more danger because it would have been the plane they would have been more likely to target.”
The Washington Post first reported details of the operation this week, more than a month after it took place. The New York Times reported that American officials were alarmed to discover that the Iranians knew where Trump was staying in Ankara, including the exact floor of his hotel.
Passengers of the decoy plane and security questions
On board Air Force One, now seen as a decoy plane, were U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who, according to the source, was informed of the maneuver; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; White House Communications Director Steven Cheng; as well as a number of other aides and a group of 13 accredited journalists, including a correspondent and photographer from Reuters. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, Executive Assistant Natalie Harp, and Oval Office Operations Director Walt Nauta transferred in the catering truck along with Trump, the source reported.
Some media commentators and legislators have expressed doubts about whether the operation put Trump’s aides and journalists traveling with him on the plane intended to carry the president at risk. The source reported that it was decided to keep this ruse a secret as it was in Trump’s interest, given the escalating tensions with Iran, which borders Turkey. Turkish officials did not immediately comment on the threat.
Source: The Straits Times
