White House pressed over journalists’ safety as Trump swapped jets

President Donald Trump has confirmed that he was secretly switched from one aircraft to another as he departed a Nato summit in Turkey last month, following what he described as a possible threat that had been identified by security officials. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One during a visit to Ohio on Tuesday, the president acknowledged that he had acceded to the wishes of the Secret Service and the military, who had urged him to take a different flight on a different plane, adding that he felt bound to comply with their instructions. The confirmation came after a flurry of reports suggesting that Mr Trump had boarded the presidential jet on 8 July in full view of television cameras at Ankara airport, only to be spirited away in a catering truck to a separate military aircraft, a manoeuvre that has since raised questions about the safety of those who remained on the decoy plane.

It is understood that the last-minute switch was prompted by intelligence suggesting a credible Iranian plan to fire a missile at the aircraft, with officials telling the BBC’s US partner, CBS News, that the threat was considered serious enough to warrant the elaborate ruse. Further reports indicated that American intelligence had gathered information about an individual close to the summit venue who had been observed in possession of a shoulder-fired missile, though the precise nature of the threat has not been officially detailed. The president, who has previously stated that he was Iran’s “number one target” during the gathering in Ankara, appeared to play down his personal concern, remarking that he did not ask too many questions about the danger, as he receives numerous threats that are not made public. His comments came a day after the United States renewed military strikes on Iran, following the collapse of negotiations between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.

According to accounts published by the Washington Post, the president boarded the newer Boeing 747-8, which had been donated by Qatar, on his arrival in Turkey but had announced his intention to depart on the older version of Air Force One “for old time’s sake”. Footage from 8 July showed him ascending the steps of the presidential jet at Ankara airport, yet he is said to have disembarked on the far side, onto a catering truck that had been raised to the aircraft’s level, enabling him to be transferred covertly to a smaller C-32A military aircraft, a modified Boeing 757 that is routinely employed by the vice-president. The operation was further masked by the presence of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who boarded the C-32A using external stairs in an apparent effort to make the flight appear routine, while journalists and some White House staff remained aboard the original plane and were instructed to keep their window shades closed.

The subterfuge was sustained by the continued use of the Air Force One call sign for the aircraft carrying the press corps, even though the president was no longer on board, while the C-32A adopted the call sign “Reach 18”. A media pool producer travelling on the decoy plane recounted that the instruction to lower the shades struck those on board as unusual, and that a photographer who briefly opened a shade was rapidly told to close it. The producer also noted that two catering trucks had been positioned at both the front and rear of the aircraft when the press arrived, and that the media van had been placed too far back in the motorcade at the airport to capture an image of the president boarding. The details of these observations were contained in a report released on Tuesday by the White House Correspondents’ Association, which shed further light on the operation.

It has emerged that members of the president’s cabinet, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, remained on the original aircraft, according to the New York Times, which cited two anonymous officials. The flight path from Turkey took the American group to RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, where the president transferred back to the legacy jet, although the precise details of this changeover remain unclear, as it was conducted in similar secrecy. Mr Trump was subsequently seen descending from the older aircraft as if he had been travelling on it throughout, before moving to the newer Qatari-donated plane for the final leg of the journey to Washington. During that concluding flight, the president spoke to reporters about the threats posed by Iran but made no mention of the earlier aircraft exchange, and when questioned about the instruction to lower the window shades, he attributed it to the dangers inherent in the flight, referencing the “sleazebags” with whom he has to deal.

The operation has prompted criticism from press freedom advocates, with Jose Zamora, regional director for the Americas for the Committee to Protect Journalists, issuing a statement asserting that the administration bears a responsibility to ensure that journalists covering the president are not unnecessarily exposed to danger. Mr Zamora argued that reporters should be informed of credible security threats so that they can make informed decisions about their own safety, a sentiment that has gained traction in light of the apparent risks associated with the decoy plane. The White House has not offered further comment on the matter, and it remains unclear what specific intelligence prompted the switch, or whether any formal assessment was made of the peril faced by those who remained on the aircraft that continued to broadcast the presidential call sign. The episode serves as a reminder of the persistent security challenges that accompany high-profile diplomatic engagements, particularly in regions where tensions remain elevated, and of the intricate measures that are sometimes deemed necessary to protect the head of state, even at the cost of deceiving both the press and members of the administration’s own entourage.