Trump Secretly Switched Aircraft After NATO Summit Amid Reported Iranian Threat

US President Donald Trump secretly travelled from Turkey to Britain aboard an alternative military aircraft in July after security officials identified what was described as a credible Iranian threat against him, according to reporting published by The Washington Post and subsequently reported by The Guardian and Reuters.

The operation took place on 8 July after Trump attended a NATO summit in Ankara. Although he was publicly seen boarding an older Air Force One aircraft, he was later transferred in secret to a smaller US Air Force C-32A and flown to Britain.

Journalists and some White House staff travelled aboard the older aircraft believing the president was also on board. Trump’s actual movements were concealed as part of a security operation prompted by concerns over the reported Iranian threat.

TRUMP BOARDED AIR FORCE ONE BEFORE SECRET TRANSFER

Before leaving Ankara, Trump publicly announced that he would travel aboard an older blue-and-white Air Force One rather than the newer Boeing 747-8 that had brought him to Turkey.

Television cameras recorded the president boarding the older aircraft. However, according to The Washington Post, Trump was later moved from the plane using an airport catering truck and transferred to an Air Force C-32A.

The C-32A is a military version of the Boeing 757 used by the US Air Force for transporting senior government officials.

The operation allowed the older Air Force One to continue towards Britain with journalists and White House personnel while the president travelled separately.

A US official familiar with the arrangements described the older aircraft as functioning as a decoy, according to The Washington Post.

IRANIAN THREAT PROMPTED SECURITY OPERATION

The aircraft switch followed intelligence concerning what US officials considered a credible threat involving Iran.

The operation occurred during a period of heightened confrontation between Washington and Tehran. A day earlier, US forces had resumed military strikes on Iran following the breakdown of efforts to end the conflict between the two countries.

Turkey shares a border with Iran and is also a member of NATO, making security surrounding the president’s departure particularly sensitive.

The precise details of the reported threat have not been publicly disclosed. The accounts published so far rely partly on unnamed US officials because of the sensitivity of presidential security arrangements.

Neither the public reporting nor the White House statement has provided operational details about how the threat was identified or how close it came to being carried out.

JOURNALISTS BELIEVED TRUMP WAS ON THEIR PLANE

Members of the White House travelling press corps boarded the older Air Force One believing they were travelling with Trump.

According to reports, journalists were instructed to keep their window shades closed during part of the journey. Some White House staff members also reportedly believed that the president remained aboard.

The C-32A carrying Trump arrived at RAF Mildenhall in Britain at about 10:20 p.m. local time. The older Air Force One carrying members of the press and staff arrived several minutes later.

Trump subsequently appeared publicly descending from the older Air Force One at the British base.

The Washington Post reported that publicly available videos showed the C-32A and the older presidential aircraft arriving close together, although the available footage did not show how Trump transferred between the aircraft after landing.

WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS SECURITY PRECAUTIONS

Following publication of the secret-flight reports, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the administration uses extensive security measures to protect the president.

Cheung also defended the newer aircraft donated by Qatar, saying it had been equipped with high-level security systems intended to protect Trump and members of his staff.

The White House statement did not provide detailed confirmation of the operational sequence reported by The Washington Post.

Reuters reported that the Pentagon did not immediately provide additional comment on the reported flight arrangements.

QATAR-DONATED AIRCRAFT HAD DRAWN ATTENTION

Trump travelled to the NATO summit aboard a Boeing 747-8 originally provided by Qatar and subsequently modified for presidential use.

The aircraft had attracted public and political attention over its cost, security modifications and role as a temporary presidential aircraft while Boeing continues work on new Air Force One planes.

The July NATO trip marked the aircraft’s first international journey in its new role.

Before leaving Turkey, Trump said he would switch to the older Air Force One while the newer aircraft travelled to RAF Mildenhall, where US military personnel would have an opportunity to view it.

The later reporting showed that the president actually travelled between Ankara and Britain aboard the smaller C-32A.

PRESIDENTIAL DECOY FLIGHTS HAVE HISTORICAL PRECEDENT

Using alternative aircraft to conceal the movement of a US president is unusual but not unprecedented.

In 2000, President Bill Clinton travelled to Pakistan aboard an unmarked executive aircraft while another presidential plane was used as part of the security arrangements.

Presidential movements are frequently subject to secrecy when security agencies identify serious threats. Details of routes, aircraft and protective procedures may therefore be withheld until after a journey has been completed.

The July operation involving Trump stands out because journalists and some government personnel apparently believed the president was aboard an aircraft that was instead being used to conceal his actual location.

The reported operation became public more than a month after the NATO summit, when The Washington Post disclosed details of the aircraft switch on 10 August.