Trump Secretly Moved to Decoy Plane Over Iran Missile Threat

White House officials had previously raised security concerns about the Qatari aircraft, noting that it lacked some of the security features required for presidential travel and would undergo further retrofitting.

US President Donald Trump was secretly transferred from Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft through an airport catering vehicle after the United States detected a credible Iranian threat to attack his intended plane, according to US media reports.

The covert operation took place last month during Trump’s trip to Ankara, Türkiye, for a NATO summit, as Washington intensified military strikes against Iran.

The Washington Post reported that Trump initially boarded an older version of Air Force One in full view of television cameras before being secretly moved minutes later to a C-32A military aircraft, a modified Boeing 757 typically used by the vice-president.

The president was reportedly transported between the aircraft inside an airport catering truck normally used to deliver meals and other supplies, in an effort to conceal his location and thwart any potential attack.

US officials told CBS News that intelligence agencies had detected a credible and immediate Iranian threat to fire a missile at the aircraft Trump was originally scheduled to board. The threat reportedly included the possible use of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles.

The decision to move Trump to the smaller aircraft was described by officials as a “snap decision” prompted by the seriousness of the threat.

Trump and other officials had publicly indicated that he would leave Türkiye on July 8 aboard one of the older Air Force One aircraft, rather than the Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar that had brought him to the country.

White House officials had previously raised security concerns about the Qatari aircraft, noting that it lacked some of the security features required for presidential travel and would undergo further retrofitting.

According to The New York Times, Trump was flown secretly from Türkiye to the United Kingdom aboard the C-32A. Reporters and other personnel waiting on the older Air Force One were not informed of the change, unknowingly serving as decoys in the security operation.

Only Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth was reportedly aware of the switch and accompanied Trump on the smaller aircraft.

After arriving in the UK, Trump was transferred back to the older Air Force One before later disembarking in front of reporters and walking across the tarmac to the Qatari aircraft for his return journey to Washington.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung did not dispute The Washington Post’s account, which was based on material reviewed by the newspaper and information from US officials familiar with the operation.