Trump took secret flight from Türkiye due to Iran threat: Report

Former U.S. President Donald Trump departed Türkiye on a secret military flight last month, a move reportedly prompted by a credible Iranian assassination threat. This departure occurred while the White House had announced he was traveling aboard the official Air Force One, according to a report by the Washington Post.

Trump had arrived in Ankara for the NATO summit on a newly renovated jet donated by Qatar. However, he unexpectedly used an older Air Force One for his departure, raising questions about the security of the newer aircraft. This trip marked the first international journey for the new plane, whose rapid upgrades had previously drawn scrutiny over its cost and security, especially amid escalating hostilities with Iran.

Before leaving Ankara, Trump posted on Truth Social that he would use the older, "baby blue" Air Force One for nostalgic reasons, while the new plane would make a separate stop at RAF Mildenhall in Britain. The Washington Post, citing a U.S. official, reported that after boarding the older Air Force One in front of cameras, Trump was secretly transported by an airport catering truck to a smaller aircraft, an Air Force C-32A.

This deception mirrored a similar operation in 2000 when President Bill Clinton used an unmarked executive jet to fly into Pakistan, deploying his formal Air Force One as a decoy. Journalists traveling with Trump on the older Air Force One were reportedly instructed to keep their window shades closed, as they, along with some White House staff, believed the president was on board. When questioned later, Trump alluded to the flight potentially being "dangerous."

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But if I go, you go. Right?