ANKARA — U.S. President Donald Trump was secretly moved from Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft during his departure from Turkey last month after U.S. officials received what they considered a credible missile threat, according to people briefed on the operation and subsequent reporting.
The covert maneuver, first detailed by The Washington Post and later corroborated by other U.S. media, involved moving Trump from the older Air Force One aircraft into a C-32A using an airport catering truck, while the larger presidential jet remained in place as a decoy. Trump had publicly appeared to board the older aircraft after attending a NATO summit in Ankara on July 8.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that sources briefed on the incident said the threat was considered credible and imminent. The reported danger involved a possible shoulder-fired missile capable of targeting an aircraft. The sources did not publicly establish who had possession of such a weapon or whether an attack was actually attempted.
The operation was conducted amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following U.S. military action against Iran. Other senior officials and members of the White House press corps remained aboard the decoy aircraft, according to reports. The C-32A, carrying Trump and a small group of aides, departed separately for Britain.
The White House and Secret Service have not publicly confirmed the detailed operational account, citing security considerations. Trump has acknowledged that he changed aircraft on the advice of his security team and said the decision was made to protect him.
The disclosure adds new detail to an earlier, unexplained decision by Trump to leave Turkey aboard an older Air Force One rather than the newer Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar. At the time, Trump said the newer aircraft was being flown to Europe so U.S. personnel could inspect it, while he would return by “normal methods.”
The newer aircraft had entered presidential service shortly before the NATO summit and had drawn scrutiny over whether it possessed all the defensive capabilities of the older presidential fleet. U.S. officials previously told CBS News that a credible threat involving a possible missile attack had prompted the decision to use the older aircraft.
The latest reports have prompted renewed questions about presidential security procedures and the use of decoy aircraft during high-risk travel. No official has confirmed that the reported missile threat resulted in an attempted attack.
