by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
WASHINGTON/ANKARA (Worthy News) – More details have emerged about an extraordinary secret flight by U.S. President Donald J. Trump, who was reportedly moved between aircraft inside a catering truck amid fears of an Iranian attempt on his life.
The deception operation took place last month as Trump left Ankara, Turkey, following a NATO summit, according to reports by The Washington Post and The New York Times newspapers citing U.S. officials and other sources.
The White House had said Trump would fly aboard an older Air Force One from Turkey to Britain after he publicly boarded the presidential aircraft in front of cameras.
But shortly afterward, Trump reportedly left the aircraft secretly and was driven across the airport inside a catering truck before boarding a smaller U.S. Air Force C-32A for the flight to Britain.
U.S. officials said the elaborate operation was prompted by a credible threat against Trump as tensions and hostilities with neighboring Iran escalated.
IRAN THREAT PROMPTS DECEPTION
Trump had traveled to Ankara aboard a newly renovated Boeing 747 donated to the United States by Qatar, but unexpectedly announced before leaving Turkey that he would use the older, baby-blue Air Force One “for old time’s sake.”
The older presidential aircraft instead effectively became a decoy, with journalists traveling aboard apparently believing Trump was still with them. Reporters were instructed to keep their window shades closed during the flight.
Some White House staff members reportedly also believed the president remained aboard, underscoring the secrecy surrounding the operation.
Trump’s C-32A arrived at Britain’s RAF Mildenhall shortly before the decoy aircraft carrying the press. Trump was subsequently seen descending from the older Air Force One, although reports said it remained unclear how he was transferred back aboard.
Asked later why journalists had been told to keep their window shades closed, Trump suggested security concerns were involved, saying they were “probably on a dangerous flight.”
WHITE HOUSE CITES ENEMIES
White House Communications Director Steve Cheung did not dispute the reported secret flight, saying the administration uses “every tool at our disposal” to protect Trump from threats.
“As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him,” Cheung said.
The operation recalled a similar deception in 2000, when then-President Bill Clinton secretly traveled aboard an unmarked executive aircraft to Pakistan while the official Air Force One served as a decoy.
The Qatar-donated Boeing 747 has meanwhile been fitted with enhanced security measures and is intended to serve temporarily as a presidential aircraft while Boeing works to deliver long-delayed next-generation Air Force One planes, according to sources familiar with the operations.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
