Trump says he slipped away from Air Force One in Turkey due to threat

U.S. President Donald ​Trump stated on ​Wednesday (August 12, 2026) that he secretly switched planes in Turkey final month on the ⁠route of the U.S. Secret Service, however that the aircraft he in the end flew on was nonetheless extra susceptible than Air Power One.

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Following a NATO summit in Ankara, Mr. Trump ‌was transferred from Air Power One to a army aircraft by way of a catering truck in a unprecedented deception prompted by an Iranian ‌assassination risk, U.S. media reported. The White Home didn’t disclose the change, and it remained a secret till the Washington Put up first reported it ⁠on Monday (August 10). Some media commentators questioned whether or not the operation left Mr. Trump’s aides and journalists touring with him in danger aboard the aircraft presumed to be carrying the President.

“I believe truly the aircraft ​that I flew on was ‌at better threat,” Trump advised reporters on Tuesday (August 11). “I believe it was at better threat as a result of that will be the aircraft I believe that they’d be extra more likely to go for.”

After a day of social media memes ‌portraying Mr. Trump as hiding out within the catering truck, the image-conscious President, who typically promotes memes of himself as a daring and brave chief, stated he was following the route of the ⁠Secret Service, the company that protects the president.

“Effectively, it’s solely as much as Secret Service. I simply observe what they’d love to do, so I’m going by Secret ‌Service and the army,” Mr. Trump stated.

“I assume there was a risk on the market. I didn’t actually ask an excessive amount of about it. I get a variety of threats,” Mr. Trump stated.

The White Home stated on the time that the President was flying aboard Air Power One from Turkey to Britain. However moments after Mr. Trump boarded the aircraft, he left it in secret by way of the catering ‌truck and boarded one other plane for the flight to Britain, the Put up stated on Monday (August 10), ​quoting unnamed sources.

Mr. Trump had taken a newly renovated Qatari-donated jet to Ankara for the NATO summit however unexpectedly introduced he would use ⁠an older Air Power One when departing the nation, a transfer that prompted questions ⁠in regards to the newer aircraft’s safety.

The journey to NATO was the primary worldwide journey for the brand new aircraft, whose speedy upgrades triggered questions ‌over its price and safety, and happened as hostilities escalated with Iran, which borders Turkey.