Report details Trump’s covert aircraft switch during Ankara trip over Iran threat

President Donald Trump quietly switched planes while departing a NATO summit in Turkey last month as part of an elaborate security maneuver designed to counter a possible Iranian threat, according to a US media report.

The report said Trump boarded Air Force One in full public view before being discreetly transferred to a separate military aircraft with the help of a catering truck used to shield the movement from onlookers. Journalists and some White House staff traveling with the delegation reportedly had no idea at the time that Trump had already been moved off the plane. Officials said security teams had identified a credible Iranian threat involving a possible missile strike against the aircraft. During the Ankara summit, Trump had described Iran as the country’s top target.

According to the report, Trump had traveled to Turkey aboard a newer Boeing 747-8 previously donated by Qatar, but chose to depart on the older Air Force One instead, saying at the time it was “for old time’s sake.”

Footage released on July 9 showed Trump boarding the presidential aircraft at Ankara airport before being secretly transferred to a smaller C-32A military jet, a modified Boeing 757 typically used to transport the vice president. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly boarded the C-32A through a separate exterior entrance as part of the effort to keep the flight’s appearance routine. Journalists and staff who boarded Air Force One were told to lower their window shades during the departure.

While in the air, Trump spoke with reporters on board and acknowledged concerns about threats from Iran, though he made no mention of the earlier switch between aircraft. Explaining why passengers had been asked to keep their windows lowered during the flight from Turkey, Trump said the flight carried added risk “because of the sleazebags we have to deal with.”

A previous report had already raised questions about security risks tied to the Qatari donated jet, noting that the Secret Service had urged Trump to change planes during his return from the NATO summit. The United States has spent months upgrading the $400 million Boeing 747-8 to bring it up to presidential standards, while older Air Force One aircraft carry laser based countermeasures designed to disrupt the guidance systems of incoming missiles.