Trump's Secret Plane Switch in Turkey
PHOTO CAPTION: U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he disembarks Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., August 9, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
WASHINGTON, Aug. 11 — President Donald Trump secretly switched aircraft in Turkey last month and flew to Britain aboard a smaller military plane in a deception operation prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, according to reports by the Washington Post and New York Times.
The White House had said Trump would fly aboard Air Force One from Turkey, where he attended a NATO summit, to Britain. But after boarding the aircraft in view of cameras, Trump was taken off the plane in secret using an airport catering truck and transferred to an Air Force C-32A, the Washington Post reported Monday, citing unnamed sources and material it reviewed. The New York Times published a similar account citing unnamed U.S. officials.
Trump had flown to Ankara aboard a newly renovated Boeing 747 donated by Qatar but unexpectedly announced that he would leave Turkey aboard an older Air Force One. The decision drew attention because the NATO trip marked the first international use of the new aircraft after rapid modifications that had raised questions about cost and security.
The trip also came as tensions with Iran were escalating. Before leaving Ankara, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he would use the older baby-blue Air Force One “for old time’s sake” to fly to RAF Mildenhall in Britain, while the newer aircraft would stop at the same base so U.S. service members could tour it.
Secret aircraft switch
After Trump boarded the older Air Force One, he was secretly moved by catering truck to the C-32A, according to the Post, which cited a U.S. official familiar with the operation. The newspaper said the deception was prompted by a credible threat against Trump.
A similar operation occurred in 2000, when President Bill Clinton flew into Pakistan aboard an unmarked executive aircraft while the official Air Force One served as a decoy.
Journalists who believed they were flying with Trump aboard the older Air Force One were instructed to keep the shades in the press cabin closed, the Post reported. Some White House staff aboard the aircraft also believed the president was on the plane.
When reporters later asked Trump why the shades had to remain closed, he said it was because they were “probably on a dangerous flight.”
“But if I go, you go. Right?” Trump added.
The C-32A carrying Trump arrived in Britain at around 10:20 p.m., with the older Air Force One and the press arriving several minutes later, according to the Post. The newspaper said it was unclear how Trump was moved back to the older Air Force One before he appeared publicly.
Trump’s traveling press pool reported that he descended from the older aircraft at 10:56 p.m., flashed a peace sign to reporters and greeted U.S. service members before walking to the newer Qatar-donated plane.
White House cites security threats
Asked about the reported secret flight on a third aircraft, the White House provided a statement from Communications Director Steve Cheung saying the Qatar-donated jet had been equipped with high-level security protocols designed to protect the president and his staff.
“As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats,” Cheung said.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The new aircraft, painted in red, white, dark blue and gold livery selected by Trump, is a Boeing 747 donated to the United States by Qatar last year and refitted by defense contractor L3Harris Technologies. It was intended as a temporary replacement while Boeing worked to deliver delayed next-generation Air Force One aircraft.
(Source: Reuters)
