Trump Switched Planes to Dodge Iranian Threat
Trump Switched Planes to Dodge Iranian Threat
The News
President Donald Trump was secretly moved off Air Force One and flown out of Turkey on an alternate military aircraft last month because of an Iranian assassination threat, according to a Washington Post report.
The ruse played out as Trump left the annual NATO summit in Ankara. He was reportedly smuggled off Air Force One in a catering truck and switched onto a smaller plane.
The arrangement concealed the president's actual location for several hours — not only from the public but also from many senior administration officials.
Timeline
Trump attended the NATO summit of alliance leaders in Ankara, Turkey.
As the delegation departed: Trump was reportedly whisked off Air Force One in a catering cart and moved onto a smaller aircraft. The Independent reported he was flown to the Mildenhall air base in the United Kingdom.
During the switch: Journalists and some White House staff were led to believe they were traveling on the same plane as the president as they began the trip back to Washington.
The Washington Post published the account, prompting broad coverage.
Reactions
The reports, cited by outlets across the spectrum including the Associated Press, CNN, the New York Post and The Guardian, described the move as an "elaborate ruse" prompted by the threat from Iran.
The Jerusalem Post reported that the arrangement kept Trump's whereabouts hidden from the American public and from many senior officials in his own administration.
What's Next
The White House has not publicly detailed the security measures. Questions remain about the specifics of the Iranian threat and how the Secret Service coordinated the plane swap.
More
Iran and the United States have exchanged threats over the past year, and U.S. officials have repeatedly cited Iranian plots against American figures as an ongoing security concern.
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