President Donald Trump secretly transferred from Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft following a NATO summit in Ankara last month, according to a Washington Post report citing an elaborate security operation prompted by an Iranian threat against the president.
Trump was publicly observed boarding the older-model Air Force One at Ankara airport, leading journalists and some White House staff to believe he would fly the presidential jet to Britain. Minutes later, however, he was quietly moved to an Air Force C-32A using an airport catering truck to avoid detection, the Post reported. The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the account.
The operation reportedly stemmed from U.S. intelligence concerns about a potential Iranian assassination attempt as tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated. The New York Times and CBS News had previously reported that intelligence officials raised alarms about a possible attack on the president or his aircraft, prompting heightened security measures. The White House did not directly address questions about the aircraft switch. The Secret Service declined to comment, and the Air Force referred inquiries to the White House.
Reporters traveling with the president were instructed to lower window shades before takeoff, maintaining the appearance that Trump remained aboard the older Air Force One. In reality, he flew to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in Britain on the C-32A, while the legacy aircraft continued on its publicly expected route. Photographers at Mildenhall later captured Trump disembarking from the presidential jet, reinforcing the impression he had traveled on it from Ankara.
The trip added another layer of complexity. Trump had traveled to the NATO summit aboard a newly refurbished Boeing aircraft gifted by Qatar, intended to serve as a future Air Force One. Before the return journey, Trump said the new plane would fly separately so U.S. troops in eastern England could inspect it. That aircraft was later used for the final leg from Mildenhall to Washington. Intelligence officials had reportedly advised against using the Qatar-provided jet for the first leg of the return trip, and Trump subsequently said it would undergo additional security upgrades.
During the flight, Trump acknowledged the ongoing threat. Asked whether there was a credible Iranian threat against Air Force One, he told reporters: “Well, I have a threat all the time. I’m number one on their list before you.” He then warned the journalists traveling with him: “But if I go, you go.”
The reported operation offers a rare glimpse into the extraordinary security measures surrounding presidential travel as the United States remains engaged in a confrontation with Iran.
