Reporter's Notebook: How Secret Service used plane swap, fake walk to hide Trump threat

During the final hours of the NATO Leaders' Summit in Ankara, a confusing itinerary change involving U.S. President Donald Trump and the presidential aircraft sparked speculation among traveling reporters. Trump announced on Truth Social that he would not return home on the new presidential plane gifted by Qatar, stating instead that he had sent it ahead to Mildenhall Air Force Base in England for service members to tour.

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From the beginning, something didn't add up.

Trump claimed he would fly to Mildenhall aboard an older Air Force One, leaving reporters uncertain about his ultimate travel plans. This unusual explanation fueled rumors among the press corps, with some suspecting a concrete plot by Iran to assassinate the president. The precise itinerary remained a mystery, adding to the unease.

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Reporters' questions to one another turned to whether Iran had hatched a concrete plot to assassinate the president.

Further raising suspicions, White House staff directed journalists to close their window shades as they boarded what they believed was the president's aircraft. This directive, known to be atypical for presidential travel, led reporters to question if it was an attempt to hide classified defense technology. Weeks later, it was revealed this was part of a covert operation to hide Trump's departure via a catering truck to a different government jet due to security concerns.

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Having traveled on the presidential plane before, I knew this demand was atypical.

The Qatari-provided plane, reportedly lacking certain safety features, may not have met U.S. security standards. This potential deficiency could explain the White House's decision to switch aircraft, suggesting a more dangerous flight than usual for those on board.

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Was it, perhaps, an attempt to obscure some sort of classified defense technology?