Trump Confirms Secret Plane Switch Over Iran Threat in Turkey

Washington (GNP): US President Donald Trump has publicly confirmed that he secretly changed planes while departing last month’s NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, citing directions from the Secret Service and the military over a possible threat to his life.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during a visit to Ohio, Trump said he had no choice but to follow the guidance of his security detail, adding that he does not question such decisions closely because he receives threats on a regular basis.

The disclosure follows widespread reporting that Trump boarded the older Air Force One aircraft in full view of television cameras on July 8, only to slip away moments later through a catering truck that had been raised to door level on the opposite side of the plane.

He was then quietly transported to a smaller military aircraft, a modified Boeing 757 known as the C-32A, while the original jet continued its journey carrying White House staff and members of the travelling press pool who were unaware the president was no longer on board.

Officials have described the manoeuvre as a response to a credible threat originating from Iran. Reports indicate that intelligence agencies had identified a person near the summit location who had reportedly been seen carrying a shoulder-fired missile, raising fears of a direct attack on the president’s aircraft.

The operation is understood to have been closely held, with only a limited circle of officials aware that Trump had transferred planes. Reporters on the original aircraft were instructed to lower their window shades before takeoff, a detail that several journalists later said struck them as unusual at the time.

Trump defended the arrangement on Tuesday, arguing that the smaller aircraft he ultimately boarded carried greater risk than the plane left behind, since he believed it would have been the more likely target. He reiterated that he considers himself a top target for Iran and said he deals with threats to his safety on a constant basis, though he declined to elaborate further on the specifics of the intelligence involved.

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The Defence Secretary is reported to have boarded the smaller aircraft separately using external stairs, a step intended to preserve the appearance of a normal departure. The military jet used the callsign Reach 18 during the flight, while the original aircraft carrying journalists retained the Air Force One designation to maintain the illusion that the president remained aboard. Members of Trump’s cabinet, including the Secretary of State and the Treasury Secretary, are understood to have remained on the original aircraft throughout the journey.

Trump had arrived in Ankara aboard a newly delivered Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar, marking the aircraft’s first international trip, before announcing he would depart on the older Air Force One instead. He later transferred back to the newer jet during a stop in the United Kingdom for the remainder of the journey to Washington. It remains unclear how the transfer between the military aircraft and the older Air Force One was carried out once the plane reached British soil.

The revelation has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates, who argue that journalists travelling with the president should be informed of credible security threats so they can make informed decisions about their own safety. Some lawmakers have also sought further briefings on the matter, noting they were not made aware of the threat at the time it occurred.