Report: Trump used elaborate ruse to fly out of Turkey following summit because of Iran threat
PBS News Hour – Politics — 2026-08-11 11:04:00 — www.pbs.org
Trump Downplays Iran Threats Amid Secretive Flight Ruse After NATO Summit
President Donald Trump, when asked directly about credible threats from Iran against Air Force One, responded, “Well, I have a threat all the time. I’m number one on their list before you,” adding to the traveling reporters, “But if I go, you go.” This remark came as new details emerged about a secretive operation during Trump’s recent return from the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
According to a Washington Post report, Trump secretly departed Turkey on an alternate military aircraft, while the White House made it appear he was flying on Air Force One. The ruse, prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, involved elaborate steps to mislead journalists and some White House staff. After boarding the older-model Air Force One in view of cameras, Trump was quietly transferred to a smaller Air Force C-32A via an airport catering truck, departing Ankara under heightened secrecy.
Trump had initially flown to the summit in a new, Qatari-gifted and retrofitted jet. He told reporters the new jet was being flown ahead to England so U.S. troops could see it, but intelligence concerns about a possible attack led to the switch. After the secret flight to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the UK, Trump reboarded Air Force One out of sight of journalists for the remainder of his journey.
The episode has raised questions about the safety of the new Qatari-provided aircraft and the transparency of presidential travel. Trump has said the new jet would undergo additional upgrades following the incident, while White House communications director Steven Cheung insisted the plane is “a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols.”
The White House did not directly address the details of the secret operation. The U.S. Secret Service and Air Force declined to comment.
This incident underscores the extraordinary security measures taken amid ongoing tensions with Iran, but also highlights Trump’s tendency to downplay threats and maintain a posture of bravado, even as intelligence officials acted out of what was described as either actionable intelligence or an abundance of caution.
As scrutiny grows, including calls for a congressional investigation, the episode raises further questions about transparency and the accuracy of information provided to the public regarding presidential security and travel.