President Trump secretly left Turkey in an airport catering truck to board a separate military aircraft after U.S. intelligence detected a credible Iranian threat to fire a missile at his plane as it departed the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, according to The Washington Post and CBS News.
Trump had publicly boarded the older Air Force One in front of cameras, but was then whisked away in an airport catering vehicle to an Air Force C-32A, a smaller military jet, while journalists and staff believed they were traveling with him on the presidential aircraft. The C-32A flew to Britain while the decoy Air Force One and media arrived minutes later at the same U.K. refueling stop.
The elaborate ruse was designed to conceal the president’s actual location and aircraft from potential Iranian agents. CBS News reported that U.S. intelligence had detected what it characterized as a credible plot by Iran and allied proxies to target Trump’s departing aircraft. Trump himself had acknowledged the risk during the NATO summit, calling himself Iran’s “number one target” amid escalating U.S.-Iran military tensions that summer.
The Secret Service had advised Trump to depart on the older Air Force One rather than the newly renovated Qatari-donated jet he had flown to Ankara, citing security concerns. However, Trump announced hours before departure that he would use the older plane “for old time’s sake,” telling the public that U.S. forces stationed at the U.K. stop would be able to tour the newer aircraft. Video footage captured by the press showed Trump walking up the stairs of the old Air Force One and disappearing inside, with the catering truck visible on the opposite side of the jet.
Press aboard the decoy Air Force One were instructed to keep window shades closed during the flight from Turkey. When asked why the shades were necessary, Trump later told reporters they were “probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags that we have to deal with,” a reference to media coverage of the Iran situation. The press and some staff members remained unaware they were not flying with the president until the incident was publicly revealed on August 10.
Multiple Trump administration officials expressed frustration that the highly classified security procedures had leaked to the public, potentially limiting future protective options for the president. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung declined to directly address the secret plane switch, instead issuing a statement that the Qatari-donated Air Force One “has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff,” and that the administration uses “every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”
The incident reflected broader tensions between the U.S. and Iran during the summer of 2026. Trump had resumed military operations against Iran earlier that year, and by late July was threatening major escalation after Iranian strikes killed three U.S. troops. The missile threat detected during Trump’s departure from Turkey underscored how active the threat environment remained, even as Trump and Iranian officials engaged in intermittent discussions about a potential settlement to the conflict.
Sources
- The Washington Post — reported the Iranian assassination threat and the secret plane switch involving the catering truck and C-32A aircraft
- CBS News — reported the credible plot to fire a missile at Trump’s aircraft and the Secret Service’s security advice to use the older Air Force One
- NDTV — detailed the mechanics of the transfer, the C-32A destination to Britain, and White House communications director’s response
