ANKARA, Turkey: US officials used a catering truck and smaller jet for the Trump Turkey escape on July 8. The operation began in the Eurasian country’s capital after intelligence warned of a possible Iranian attack.
The operation followed a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) summit; footage showed the truck leaving Air Force One.
CNN reported that US officials said intelligence suggested Iran knew Trump’s hotel and motorcade route. A potential shoulder-fired missile threat to Air Force One heightened concern.
Some officials at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) questioned the Israeli-supplied intelligence and also doubted Iran could execute such an attack. Authorities arrested no militants and recovered no evidence of a missile plot after Trump left.
President Donald Trump publicly boarded the older Air Force One before crossing the cabin to another exit. He then entered an empty catering container.
Read: Türkiye Missile Threat Forced Trump to Switch Aircraft
CNN also reported that Secret Service agents accompanied Trump on a 162-second drive to a smaller C-32A aircraft. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth joined the flight to RAF Mildenhall in Britain.
Read: US Iran Naval Blockade Can Continue Indefinitely, Hegseth Says
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other aides remained aboard the decoy aircraft. Some staff members did not know Trump had switched planes.
Trump confirmed on August 11 that the Secret Service and military ordered the change. “I just have to do what they say,” he told reporters.
