Secret Plane Switch for President Trump Amid Iranian Missile Threat
Last month, President Trump was covertly transferred from Air Force One to another aircraft via a catering truck, CBS News reported. The maneuver occurred within a day of U.S. and Turkish intelligence discovering an Iranian plot to target the presidential jet with a missile.
The switch took place during the annual NATO conference in Ankara, as reported by multiple officials. President Trump arrived in the Turkish capital on a newly retrofitted Boeing 747 donated by Qatar while an older Air Force One jet from the 1990s served as support.
On July 8, before Trump’s departure, intelligence agencies like the NSA, CIA, and Turkey’s MIT intercepted information about Iran’s intention to launch a surface-to-air missile at Air Force One. However, no specific team assigned to execute the attack was identified after further investigations.
Officials conveyed that the ongoing threat from Iran is significant, as reflected by the multiple assassination attempts on President Trump over the years. Trump has acknowledged the danger, remarking he is ‘number one on the kill list for Iran’ during a news conference in Ankara.
The National Security Council, White House Military Office, and Secret Service decided to change planes with coordination from Washington, D.C. Ahead of leaving Ankara, Trump mentioned on Truth Social his choice to take the older Air Force One for nostalgic reasons.
Footage showed Trump boarding the old Air Force One, followed by a catering truck transporting him and aides to a U.S. Air Force-operated C-32A jet. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined them for a flight to a U.K. military base.
The publicized Air Force One carried Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and the press but not the president. While Rubio and Bessent were aware, reporters and some staff were not.
In the U.K., Trump switched to the new Qatari-donated Air Force One for his return to Washington, D.C. The operation remained secret until new reports emerged.
Officials clarified the plane exchange was part of a misdirection strategy, not meant to increase risk for others. Trump addressed the situation, explaining the military and Secret Service prioritized safety. Asked about the perceived risks, he claimed that the plane he used had a higher threat.
Trump emphasized his familiarity with threats, stating, ‘Any consequential president has a lot of threats.’
Contributions by Sara Cook.