US President Donald Trump secretly changed aircraft after leaving a NATO summit in Turkey last month following a security warning about a possible Iranian threat, according to US media reports.
Trump had initially boarded Air Force One in Ankara in front of cameras, creating the impression that he would travel to Britain aboard the presidential aircraft. Instead, he was reportedly taken from the plane in an airport catering truck and transferred to a smaller military aircraft for the journey.
The operation was kept from public view and appears to have been designed to conceal Trump’s movements from anyone who might target the presidential aircraft. Journalists travelling with the president, along with some White House staff, reportedly remained on the original plane and did not know that Trump had already left.
The revelation has raised questions about the extraordinary security measures surrounding presidential travel and the potential risks faced by those who remained aboard the aircraft being used as a decoy.
Trump later confirmed that he had secretly switched planes, saying he had followed instructions from the Secret Service and the military. He said he had been told there was a threat but did not seek extensive details about it, noting that he receives frequent threats.
The reported operation took place as tensions between the United States and Iran were rising. The president had travelled to Ankara for a NATO summit before continuing to Britain.
The unusual manoeuvre also involved a smaller Air Force C-32A aircraft, which was used to transport Trump while the aircraft journalists believed was carrying him continued on its planned journey.
The original aircraft arrived in Britain only minutes after the plane carrying Trump, according to reports. Trump later appeared from the larger aircraft and greeted US service members, without revealing that he had already made the journey on another plane.
The White House has pointed to the extensive security measures used to protect the president but has not publicly detailed the intelligence behind the reported threat.
The episode highlights the lengths security officials may take to protect a US president when authorities believe his movements could be targeted, while also demonstrating the unusual challenges involved in keeping presidential travel secure in an era of constant media coverage.
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