WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Tuesday night that his secret plane switch in Ankara followed security orders. He claimed the military jet faced greater danger than Air Force One.
Trump spoke at Joint Base Andrews near Washington, DC, early Wednesday in Pakistan. He said the US Secret Service and military directed the July 8 operation after detecting a threat.
“I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,” Trump said. He argued that attackers would have been more likely to target the replacement aircraft.
CBS News reported that US intelligence identified a credible Iranian missile plot against Trump’s aircraft. The threat emerged as he left Ankara, Turkey’s capital.
President Trump was secretly moved off Air Force One in Turkey last month after the NATO summit with the help of an airport catering truck. When asked why, Trump said the Secret Service directed him to switch to another plane.
“They wanted me to go on a different flight, a… pic.twitter.com/dxrZReipFu
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 12, 2026After publicly boarding an older Air Force One, Trump exited through an airport catering container. A truck transported him to a US Air Force C-32A, which flew him to Britain.
Reporters and some White House officials remained aboard the older Air Force One. They believed the president was travelling with them, according to the Washington Post
Read: Trump Plane Switch Evaded Reported Iran Threat in Turkey
Trump said he did not seek further details about the threat. He added that he followed instructions from the Secret Service and military.
The White House did not disclose the operation at the time. The Washington Post first revealed it on Monday, more than a month after the NATO summit.
Trump had travelled to Turkey aboard a Boeing 747 donated by Qatar and modified for presidential use. He later boarded that aircraft at RAF Mildenhall for the return flight to Washington.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the government used every available measure to protect Trump. However, the Secret Service declined to discuss the operation.
