Donald Trump has confirmed that the Secret Service and the military wanted him off Air Force One because of a security threat during his return from the NATO summit in Turkey. The aircraft was reportedly used in a decoy operation after intelligence indicated a credible threat linked to Iran, with Trump discreetly transferred to another plane while Air Force One continued on with staff, security personnel and journalists aboard.
The latest coverage says the transfer took place via a catering truck, allowing the president to leave the aircraft without drawing attention. Reports differ on the exact nature of the threat, with some describing a missile plot and others referring more broadly to a credible Iranian threat or a danger from Iran and its proxies. The flight sequence ran from Turkey towards the United Kingdom.
The White House had not publicly detailed the manoeuvre when it happened, but Trump’s comments on Tuesday effectively confirmed the broad outline of earlier reporting. The episode underlines how presidential transport can be turned into a decoy when intelligence points to a possible air threat, and it highlights the close coordination between the Secret Service, the military and White House travel staff.