New details have emerged about an extraordinary security operation carried out during U.S. President Donald Trump’s departure from Türkiye following the NATO summit in July.
According to reports in the U.S. media, also cited by Reuters, Trump was secretly transferred to a different aircraft before leaving Türkiye due to a serious security threat linked to Iran.
The operation reportedly involved an elaborate deception plan designed to conceal which aircraft was actually carrying the U.S. president.
TRUMP FIRST BOARDED AIR FORCE ONE IN FRONT OF CAMERAS
Following the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump publicly boarded the presidential aircraft in front of cameras as he prepared to leave Türkiye.
The U.S. president was seen climbing the stairs and entering the aircraft, creating the impression that he would continue his journey aboard Air Force One.
However, newly reported details indicate that Trump’s actual travel arrangements were different.
Once the president was out of public view, security personnel reportedly began the second stage of the operation.
TRUMP SECRETLY REMOVED USING AN AIRPORT CATERING TRUCK
One of the most unusual elements of the operation involved the use of an airport catering vehicle.
Trump was reportedly taken to another door on the opposite side of the aircraft, away from cameras and observers.
He was then transferred into a lift-equipped catering truck of the type normally used to load food and beverages onto aircraft.
The vehicle transported the president across the airport to another U.S. military aircraft waiting nearby.
The operation allowed those watching the presidential aircraft to believe Trump was still aboard Air Force One while he was actually being transferred elsewhere.
TRUMP FLEW TO BRITAIN ABOARD A C-32A
After the covert transfer, Trump reportedly boarded a smaller U.S. Air Force C-32A aircraft.
The C-32A, which is based on the Boeing 757, is commonly used to transport senior U.S. government officials.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was also reportedly transferred separately to the aircraft.
Trump and a limited number of accompanying officials then departed Türkiye aboard the C-32A and traveled to RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom.
AIR FORCE ONE USED AS A DECOY
One of the most striking aspects of the security operation was that the aircraft Trump had publicly boarded also departed Türkiye.
Although the president was reportedly aboard another aircraft, Air Force One continued its flight to Britain.
According to reports, journalists traveling with the presidential delegation and even some White House personnel were unaware that Trump had switched planes.
Members of the press were also reportedly instructed to keep the window shades closed during the flight.
The two aircraft arrived at RAF Mildenhall within a relatively short period of each other.
The arrangement was designed to make it more difficult for any potential hostile actor to determine which aircraft was actually carrying the U.S. president.
IRAN-LINKED THREAT PROMPTED CHANGE IN SECURITY PLAN
Reports indicate that concerns over a threat linked to Iran and Iran-associated actors were behind the extraordinary security precautions.
Earlier U.S. media reports said American authorities had received intelligence concerning a potentially credible threat against Trump.
CBS News, citing U.S. officials, previously reported that intelligence indicated a possible plot involving an attempt to target the aircraft carrying the president with a missile.
The intelligence reportedly prompted the U.S. Secret Service and other security agencies to modify Trump’s departure arrangements from Türkiye.
TRUMP HAD ARRIVED IN TÜRKİYE ON A NEW PRESIDENTIAL AIRCRAFT
Another notable element of the trip involved the aircraft Trump used to travel to Türkiye.
The U.S. president had arrived aboard a Boeing 747-8 that had been provided to the United States by Qatar and subsequently modified for presidential use.
However, the decision to implement an alternative departure plan raised questions about the security and defensive capabilities available on the newer aircraft.
The traditional Air Force One aircraft are known to have extensive defensive and countermeasure systems designed to protect the president against potential threats, including missile attacks.
Trump did not publicly disclose at the time that the change in aircraft was connected to a specific security threat.
FULL DETAILS OF THE OPERATION EMERGED WEEKS LATER
It had previously been known that Trump used a different aircraft during part of his journey after leaving Türkiye.
However, details about the use of a catering truck, the president publicly boarding one aircraft before secretly being transferred to another, and Air Force One continuing the journey as a decoy emerged later.
The revelations attracted international attention after new reporting in the U.S. media provided additional details about the operation.
The White House acknowledged that significant security precautions had been taken to protect the president.
EXTRAORDINARY SECURITY MEASURES DURING TÜRKİYE VISIT
The newly revealed information indicates that security arrangements surrounding Trump’s visit to Türkiye were considerably more extensive than was publicly known at the time.
Amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, multiple aircraft and deception measures were reportedly used to protect the president and conceal his exact location during the journey.
Trump’s public boarding of Air Force One, his subsequent covert transfer using an airport catering vehicle, and the near-simultaneous movement of two U.S. aircraft to Britain were among the most unusual elements of the operation.
The details emerged weeks after Trump’s visit to Türkiye, once again highlighting the impact of Iran-related security threats on the travel protocols surrounding the U.S. president.
