Secret Flight from Turkey
Last month, President Trump took a covert flight from the NATO summit, away from the publicly identified Air Force One. This decision was made according to sources familiar with the situation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accompanied Mr. Trump on a separate flight from Turkey, while White House aides Natalie Harp, Walt Nauta, and Dan Scavino were also present.
During the flight, Secretaries Marco Rubio and Scott Bessent remained on a decoy plane, maintaining the line of succession. They were aware of the president’s alternate travel arrangements. Other White House aides such as Stephen Miller, Will Scharf, Steven Cheung, Mike Needham, Ross Worthington, and Monica Crowley also traveled on the decoy flight.
Security Measures in Ankara
“The president’s plane is normally designated as Air Force One. However, the decoy flight was publicly identified as Air Force One.”
On July 8, President Trump was seen departing Ankara. He chose to travel on the older Air Force One instead of a newer Qatari-donated jet that he used for the NATO summit, citing “old time’s sake.” However, CBS News reported the Secret Service recommended the switch due to security concerns.
Mr. Trump covertly moved with the help of a catering truck to another plane. He explained the decision during an interview with CBS News’ Nancy Cordes, stating military and Secret Service officials preferred a different flight, responding to threats he described as unsurprising.
Press and Public Perception
When asked why Air Force One posed greater danger for him compared to members of the press, Mr. Trump mentioned, “The plane I was on was at greater risk.” Video footage captured Mr. Trump discretely boarding the older Air Force One, assisted by a catering truck.
Moments later, the truck relocated to a U.S. government plane, identified by The Washington Post as an Air Force C-32A. The secret flight, initially undisclosed, allowed the president a safer route from Ankara to a refueling stop in the U.K., while those on Air Force One believed they shared the plane with him.
In-flight Procedures and Upgrades
In Ankara, press members were instructed to keep window shades closed citing potential flight dangers due to “sleazebags,” as mentioned by Mr. Trump. Once in the U.K., he switched to a newer aircraft, donated by Qatar last year, modified by the U.S. Air Force.
While crossing the Atlantic, Mr. Trump addressed the press. The White House announced in July that the Qatar-donated plane would undergo extensive security upgrades, which the president described as “maxed out.”