US President Donald Trump was secretly moved in an airport catering truck to a smaller military aircraft after first boarding Air Force One in Ankara, a covert operation prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, The Washington Post reported
Trump had initially boarded the older, baby-blue Air Force One in full view of cameras after attending the NATO summit in Turkey.
But after boarding the aircraft, he was covertly transferred via an airport catering truck to an Air Force C-32A, which then flew him to Britain, the Post reported, citing a US official familiar with the operation and supporting materials it examined.
This extraordinary security measure took place amid escalating hostilities with Iran. Iran shares a border with Turkey, the location of the NATO summit that Trump had attended, marking his first international trip on a newly renovated jet donated by Qatar.
The president’s unexpected decision to switch from the new aircraft to the older Air Force One before departing Ankara raised questions about the security of the plane donated by Qatar.
Prior to leaving Ankara, Trump posted on Truth Social that he would fly the older baby-blue Air Force One to RAF Mildenhall in Britain “for old time’s sake,” while the new aircraft would also land at the same base to allow US service members stationed there to tour it.
However, after Trump boarded the older aircraft in view of cameras, he was covertly transferred to the C-32A via an airport catering truck, according to the Post. The deception was launched in response to a credible threat against Trump, the newspaper reported.
A comparable operation occurred in 2000, when President Bill Clinton flew into Pakistan on an unmarked executive jet while using the formal Air Force One as a decoy.
In this instance, journalists who thought they were traveling with Trump on the older Air Force One were instructed to keep the window shades closed in the press cabin. The Post also noted that some White House staff members likewise believed the president was aboard.
When reporters later asked Trump why they had been told to keep the shades shut during the flight, he said they were “probably on a dangerous flight.” He went onto say: “But if I go, you go. Right?”
The C-32A carrying Trump landed in Britain at approximately 10:20 pm, followed minutes later by the older Air Force One and the accompanying media, according to the Post. It was not immediately apparent how Trump was transferred from the C-32A back onto the older Air Force One.
