US2 min(s) read
Published 16:26 11 Aug 2026 GMT
Donald Trump was reportedly smuggled out of Turkey aboard a secret military flight last month after security officials feared an Iranian assassination threat against the controversial US leader.
Trump had attended the NATO summit in Ankara back in July, and appeared to leave Turkey the following day aboard Air Force One.
But according to a new report, the president never actually completed the journey on his usual presidential aircraft.
Instead, after boarding Air Force One, Trump reportedly left the plane and was secretly transported across the tarmac inside a catering truck before being transferred to a smaller C-32A military jet.
The aircraft then flew Trump to RAF Mildenhall in England, according to reports cited by the BBC.
The operation was reportedly kept so closely guarded that journalists traveling with the president, and even some White House staff, were unaware that he had been moved from Air Force One.
The Washington Post reported that the extraordinary security operation was triggered by an Iranian threat against Trump's life.
After arriving in Britain, Trump transferred to a new Air Force One jet, which had been gifted to the US by Qatar, and continued his journey to Washington.
It was during that flight that reporters were able to speak with Trump, although he did not address the reported plane switch.
Instead, he discussed the security threats he claimed he was facing from Iran.
When reporters questioned why they had been ordered to keep their window shades down during the flight, Trump reportedly replied: “Because you're probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags we have to deal with.”
Trump went on to claim he faces a 'threat all the time' and said he was 'number one' on Iran's supposed 'list'.
He then appeared to warn the reporters travelling with him that they could potentially be caught up in any attack.
“But if I go, you go, right? Perhaps someday you want to change professions,” Trump said.
The White House has not officially confirmed the reported operation.
However, White House communications director Steven Cheung appeared to acknowledge the seriousness of the threats facing the president.
“As the president has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats,” he said.
Paul Eckloff, a former Secret Service special agent, said such an operation would be highly unusual but could have been prompted either by specific intelligence or an abundance of caution given the unstable geopolitical situation in the region.
“I would not say unprecedented, but it is an unusual occurrence,” Eckloff told The Associated Press.
