US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he secretly switched planes after the NATO summit in Turkey last month following a possible security threat linked to Iran.
Trump said on Tuesday that the Secret Service and military instructed him to use a different aircraft as he prepared to leave Turkey.
“I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go in a different flight, different plane,” Trump told reporters. “I just have to do what they say.”
The revelation follows reports that Trump appeared to board the old Air Force One at Ankara airport on July 8 before secretly being transferred to a smaller military aircraft.
According to reports cited by the BBC’s US partner CBS News, US authorities had detected a credible Iranian threat involving a possible missile attack on the aircraft. The New York Times also reported that US intelligence had information about a person near the Nato summit who had reportedly been seen with a shoulder-fired missile.
Trump’s departure was reportedly disguised as part of an elaborate security operation that left journalists and some White House staff unaware that he was no longer aboard Air Force One.
The Washington Post reported that Trump was moved from the presidential aircraft to a C-32A military plane using a catering truck positioned at the aircraft’s opposite side.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly boarded the C-32A separately using external stairs, helping to maintain the appearance that the president remained on the original aircraft.
Journalists and White House staff who remained on Air Force One were reportedly instructed to keep the window shades closed. Some cabinet officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, were also reportedly on the aircraft.
The military aircraft carrying Trump used the call sign “Reach 18”, while the plane carrying journalists continued using “AF1” to maintain the deception.
Trump later rejoined the old Air Force One after it reached the UK before transferring to the newer aircraft donated by Qatar for his journey back to Washington.
Asked about the threat on Tuesday, Trump said he had not sought many details but acknowledged that “there was a threat out there”.
“I have a lot of threats that you don’t know about,” he said.
Trump had previously described himself as Iran’s “number one target” during the NATO summit.
The Committee to Protect Journalists criticised the decision not to inform journalists about the potential danger.
“Reporters should be informed of credible security threats so they can make informed decisions about their safety,” said Jose Zamora, the organisation’s regional director for the Americas.
The development has raised questions over whether journalists and other officials left aboard the original aircraft were exposed to unnecessary danger.
