President of the United States Donald Trump was secretly switched to a different aircraft while returning from the NATO summit in Turkey last month, as part of heightened security measures taken over intelligence suggesting that Iran could launch an attack against.
Trump was seen on television boarding Air Force One, but he was later secretly transferred to a military aircraft with the help of a regular food-delivery vehicle used to service aircraft.
The Washington Post reported that journalists and some White House staff members aboard the plane did not realize that Trump had left it.
Officials told CBS News that the United States had received credible intelligence indicating that Iran could launch a missile attack targeting the aircraft. The White House had initially confirmed that Trump had departed aboard Air Force One.
Trump had arrived in Turkey aboard a new Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar, but he had announced that he would leave using the older Air Force One as part of a farewell to the aircraft.
On July 8, footage showed Trump boarding the presidential aircraft at Ankara Airport. However, according to The Washington Post, he was later secretly taken to a smaller C-32A aircraft, a modified Boeing 757 used by the U.S. vice president.
He was taken to the aircraft inside a food-service vehicle, which was positioned at a door on the opposite side from where he had initially boarded.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also boarded the C-32A separately, using the regular stairs to make the departure appear routine.
Journalists and some White House staff remained on Air Force One and were reportedly asked to keep the window shades closed. They did not know that the president was no longer on the aircraft.
Trump traveled to the United Kingdom before continuing on to the United States. Upon arrival, he reboarded the old Air Force One after it landed at RAF Mildenhall. It was not immediately clear how he was transferred from the C-32A back onto the presidential aircraft.
Later, Trump switched to the new Air Force One provided by Qatar to return to Washington.
During the flight, Trump told reporters aboard the plane that Iran continued to pose a threat to him, but he did not mention the earlier secret aircraft switch.
