Trump confirms secret plane switch over threat
SingTao · 3 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he secretly changed aircraft after what he said was a threat to his life following the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8. He said the US Secret Service and the military told him to board another plane, and he complied without pressing for details because he regularly receives threats. Reports said he initially boarded the older Air Force One, then slipped out through the other side in an airport catering truck and transferred to a US Air Force C-32A executive aircraft, while some aides and the travelling press remained on the original plane. Trump later said he was not scared by the episode and even argued the aircraft he ultimately used may have faced greater risk.
Key Points
- The operation took place after Trump attended the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, before departing Turkey for Britain and then the United States.
- The Washington Post account, cited by multiple outlets, said Trump boarded the older Air Force One first, then secretly moved via a catering truck.
- Trump told reporters on Tuesday night at Joint Base Andrews that the Secret Service and military wanted him on another aircraft because of a threat.
- Some White House staff and more than a dozen travelling journalists reportedly stayed aboard the original Air Force One without knowing Trump had left it
- The episode triggered criticism from journalists, Democratic lawmakers including Chuck Schumer and Richard Blumenthal, and a former CIA officer over safety and transparency
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers following US security and foreign policy, the episode raises questions about how Washington balances presidential protection, media access and accountability during periods of heightened regional tension. The dispute over whether reporters and staff were effectively used as decoys also adds to scrutiny of decision-making inside the Trump White House at a time when threat perceptions involving Iran remain politically sensitive.