Trump Aircraft Targeted by Missile Plot in Turkey, Officials Say

President Donald Trump's departure from the NATO Summit in Turkey earlier this month was reportedly rerouted due to a credible threat from Iran and its allied groups. U.S. officials revealed that intelligence indicated a plot to target his official aircraft, Air Force One, with missiles.

Following the intelligence, the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) swiftly implemented a contingency plan. Instead of using the newer, $400 million Boeing 747-8 presidential plane, which the U.S. received as a gift from Qatar last year, Trump reportedly departed Ankara on an older Air Force One model. This older aircraft is said to be equipped with technology designed to counter incoming missiles, such as lasers to blind them.

The news of the threat from Iranian proxies was first reported by The New York Times. Trump had initially flown to Turkey's capital, Ankara, on the new Air Force One. However, after the summit, his departure to the United Kingdom utilized the older aircraft before he switched back to the newer plane for the final leg of his journey home to the U.S. This sudden change in aircraft has sparked questions regarding the security protocols and capabilities of the president's new, state-of-the-art plane.