Donald Trump made a covert change to his aircraft as he left a Nato summit in Turkey last month after US officials detected a credible Iranian threat, US media reported.

According to the Washington Post, the US president boarded Air Force One in view of television cameras before being transferred out of sight onto an elevated airport catering truck. He was then taken to a separate military aircraft without journalists and some White House staff on board knowing he had left.

The White House has not confirmed the account. Officials told CBS News, a US partner of the BBC, that the United States had identified a credible threat from Iran to fire a missile at the president’s plane.

Nato Summit Departure in Ankara

Trump had told the summit in Ankara that he was Iran’s “number one target”.

The reported manoeuvre occurred as US forces continued their heightened posture towards Tehran. It came a day after the US renewed strikes on Iran following a breakdown in negotiations between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the war.

Trump arrived in Turkey aboard a newer Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar. After the summit, he said he would depart on the older Air Force One “for old time’s sake”. Footage from 8 July showed him boarding the presidential jet at Ankara airport.

However, the Washington Post said that after he entered the aircraft, he was taken by catering truck to a smaller C-32A military plane on the opposite side of the runway. The C-32A is a modified Boeing 757 commonly used by the vice president.

C-32A Change and Staff Notices

The Washington Post reported that Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, boarded the C-32A separately using external stairs, a move intended to make the flight appear routine.

Journalists and some White House staff who were on Air Force One were reportedly told to close their window shades. They were unaware the president had been removed from the flight.

Trump then travelled onward to the UK, according to the reports, before returning to the US. He was seen leaving Air Force One after it landed at RAF Mildenhall. It was not clear, the Washington Post said, how he moved from the C-32A back to the legacy Air Force One before continuing his journey.

The president later transferred again to the new Qatari-donated Air Force One to fly back to Washington.

Statements on Security and Possible Upgrades

During the return flight, Trump spoke to reporters on board and referred to threats posed by Iran without mentioning the earlier aircraft switch, according to accounts of the exchange.

When asked why reporters had been told to lower their window shades on the plane during the Ankara departure, Trump said: “Because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags we have to deal with.” He added that he had a “threat all the time” and that he is “number one” on Iran’s “list”. He also said: “But if I go, you go, right? … Perhaps someday you want to change professions.”

White House communications director Steven Cheung said he did not directly confirm or deny the reports, but told CBS News that the new Air Force One is a “state-of-the-art aircraft” with security measures designed to protect the president and his staff.

CBS News previously reported that US intelligence had warned of a specific threat of an attack on Trump or his aircraft. The New York Times had earlier described security concerns about the Qatari-gifted jet and said the Secret Service urged Trump to switch planes when leaving the Nato summit. The Times reported that several of its journalists were later summoned to testify under oath, and that the Justice Department told the BBC it was investigating illegal leaks.

The US has also spent months retrofitting the $400m Boeing 747-8 to prepare it for presidential use. CBS News reported that older Air Force One aircraft have laser systems intended to blind incoming missiles, while it is unclear what defences are fitted to the Qatari-donated jet. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the new Air Force One is safe, and that it would receive additional upgrades in the autumn taking about a month.

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11 August 2026

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Imagine if Iran missiled AF1 with all those journos and staff onboard!

11 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Imagine if Iran missiled AF1 with all those journos and staff onboard!

That would indeed have been a great loss to humanity, not so much if they had blown up the catering truck, or the plane on which he travelled.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

CBS News previously reported that US intelligence had warned of a specific threat of an attack on Trump or his aircraft. The New York Times had earlier described security concerns about the Qatari-gifted jet

It's common knowledge that Qatar and Iran are friends, anyone surprised ?

Trump would never ever hide, he is the bravest being on the Planet and also in space.

He would have been extremely sad if 1 journalist would have been hurt, as he appreciates, especially the female ones, them for being on their knees when he insults them. I don't know what he would have done to himself to overcome his grief for them.

So that's why they carry knee pads !

Trump used journalists as ‘decoy’ in escape from suspected assassination plot

Unsuspecting journalists and White House staff became a “decoy” for a suspected assassination plot after Donald Trump secretly got off an Air Force One jet flying out of Turkey last month, a bombshell report claims.

Trump boarded the plane with cameras rolling, along with media and government staff, to fly out of Ankara on July 8 following the annual NATO summit, a US official told The Washington Post.

Political analyst David Axelrod said the “extraordinary” swap must have come about as the result of a severe threat.

“If they needed to take such extraordinary steps to protect the president because the threat level was so high, the American people deserve to know that the threat level was that high in this particular case, that he had to take such an extraordinary measure,” Mr Axelrod told CNN.

“And then the other piece of it is that, in fact, everyone on that plane was a decoy.

“If they felt that it was unsafe to be on the plane, then it was unsafe for everybody else to be on the plane as well.

“So, they at least deserve to know, if not then, then after, why this was happening.”

CNN host Kaitlan Collins agreed that the plane “would still have been a target” if everyone believed the president was on board.

Trump used journalists as ‘decoy’ in escape from suspected assassination plot | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site for latest headlines

Next he can hide in a dumpster.

Or maybe in the sewer system.

Trump could even fit in a Porta-Potty, but just barely.

So many places for the Master of Disguise to hide. 😅

2 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Next he can hide in a dumpster.

Or maybe in the sewer system.

Trump could even fit in a Porta-Potty, but just barely.

So many places for the Master of Disguise to hide. 😅

Kinda normal for him in my view.Hes hidden/been sheltered by wealth his entire life since infancy allowing others to take the blows his (mouth) creates).Nothing new here in my view I am modestly curious as to what catering truck was used hope it was the sewage wagon!

8 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Imagine if Iran missiled AF1 with all those journos and staff onboard!

I beg to differ many of those journalists are very brave people willing to risk all confronting this vindictive shallow powerful man who delights in destroying others lives.not to mention the aircrew and their loved ones…..kinda a cheap shot ehh?

Edited August 11Aug 11 by Tug

1 hour ago, Tug said:

I beg to differ many of those journalists are very brave people willing to risk all confronting this vindictive shallow powerful man who delights in destroying others lives.not to mention the aircrew and their loved ones…..kinda a cheap shot ehh?

MAGA would be gleeful if NYT reporters went down.

Weirdly enough...

The staff would be happy to die for the Boss.

That's why they call it a Reverse Jesus Death Cult...

Jesus dies for your sins.

In this cult, You must die to cover up Trump's sins* 🙉

*Documented in the missing estimated 500,000 Trump-Epstein Sex Trafficking Files

1 minute ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Jesus dies for your sins.

Not mine you fool , but good luck with your issues with Trump living rent free in your disgusting looking head , LOL<

Psssstt

A catering truck sounds about right. Stuffed full of pork pies & chips.

19 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

MAGA would be gleeful if NYT reporters went down.

Weirdly enough...

The staff would be happy to die for the Boss.

That's why they call it a Reverse Jesus Death Cult...

Jesus dies for your sins.

In this cult, You must die to cover up Trump's sins* 🙉

*Documented in the missing estimated 500,000 Trump-Epstein Sex Trafficking Files

I bet they would have claimed that the Epstein files were on Air Force 1 if it was hit.

Only surprised he didn’t insist on having Trump Catering plastered across the truck.

“ it was great food, the best, many have said it was the best airline food ever ! “

( quote from an unknown person at the scene …… in a ridiculous blond wig ).

The huge coward likely needed extra pampers after hearing about the threat, and willingly hid in the catering container, pissing his pants. Real dignity. Very manly Don. Such a coward and street trash failure.

Saint Donald needs extra protection from the forces of evil at work.

You’re reading too much into it. He just followed the smell of burgers to the container. They forgot he was there and took off.

Trump was hiding at KFC while his media team fabricated yet another fake threat to help secure his throne room.

Coward. Of course he is. Started with the fake, ludicrous bone spurs that fooled nobody. Most cowardly of the cowards. Has no problem putting everybody aboard AF1 at risk to save just himself. You just know if he had been aboard the Titanic he would have thrown women and children out of a lifeboat to make room for his tubby self. I suspect there is nobody in the world surprised at this story, including me.

Note the old AF1 was being used. The new 'free gift' plane--which has cost American taxpayers 1 billion--not free--dollars to be rushed into service, is useless as an AF1 because it lacks all the important security stuff that a true AF1 has. Total waste of taxpayer money, not Trump's money. He should have been sent the bill for his useless, expensive bauble.

Decision-making authority regarding operational security tactics for protecting the President rests with the U.S. Secret Service.

The recent operation at the NATO summit in Ankara—where a decoy Air Force One was used and the President was secretly moved to a C-32A via a catering truck to avoid a surface-to-air missile threat—followed standard presidential protection protocols.

Using alternate military transports, decoy aircraft, and tactical deceptions is an established Secret Service playbook for high-threat overseas environments—similar to covert presidential flights previously arranged for combat zone entries in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.

Sorry it doesn't fit in with some of the conspiracy theories!😅

Edited August 12Aug 12 by Smokey and the Bandit

They couldn't get him out of the truck after he had found the on-flight hamburgers.

This could have gone seriously sideways. Can you imagine Iran just wanted to send him a message by shooting down the military plane, when everyone thought he was on AF1?

Perhaps it was the taco wagon???

12 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

Imagine if Iran missiled AF1 with all those journos and staff onboard!

Its all a big roose tp get Trump some brownie points before the mid term, as you say would they jeopardise all those on board AF1 obviously not . Lets call it fake news.

4 hours ago, Tug said:

Kinda normal for him in my view.Hes hidden/been sheltered by wealth his entire life since infancy allowing others to take the blows his (mouth) creates).Nothing new here in my view I am modestly curious as to what catering truck was used hope it was the sewage wagon!

Hiding in a catering truck is appropriate- he would be at home surrounded by lots of pork pies (English rhyming slang tip for all non Brits - pork pies = lies)

14 minutes ago, L- Lifeline said:

Hiding in a catering truck is appropriate- he would be at home surrounded by lots of pork pies (English rhyming slang tip for all non Brits - pork pies = lies)

the catering manifest

pigs in a blanket (was his young blond 'aide' with him?)

Spotted Dick (what you get if you don't use 'protection')

Toad in a hole (Ask Stormy about that one)

Whoppers (where he keeps his porta lies)

jerked chicken

Corn dogs of war

Spam

etc etc

Hey, he hid behind bone spurs during the Vietnam War and let all the rest of us do the dirty work.

No reason to suspect different behavior now.

The man is a coward and a bully!

3 hours ago, mfd101 said:

A catering truck sounds about right. Stuffed full of pork pies & chips.

I hope they thoroughly disinfected the truck, or even better burn it, to avoid contamination of humanity other than MAGADI's🤌

Much ado about very little. Trump was merely following the directive of the US security services.