The plane carrying the press served as a decoy: how Trump left Turkey
11 August 12:40
VIDEO
Due to a potential threat from Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump secretly left Turkey on a different military aircraft. Meanwhile, Air Force One, carrying journalists and White House staff, was used as a decoy, and the official account of events did not match the U.S. president’s actual itinerary. This is according to an investigation by The Washington Post, as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian".
In July, U.S. President Donald Trump secretly flew out of Turkey on a C-32A military aircraft, while the White House publicly stated that he was aboard the old Air Force One.
The extraordinary operation was organized due to what U.S. officials assessed to be a credible assassination threat linked to Iran.
Trump publicly boarded Air Force One but did not fly on it
The operation took place on July 8 following the NATO summit in Ankara. In front of television cameras, Trump boarded the old white-and-blue presidential Boeing 747.
From the outside, it looked like a routine presidential departure. However, a few minutes later, Trump and several of his aides were discreetly transferred to another aircraft—a military C-32A, based on the Boeing 757.
An airport vehicle—the kind normally used to deliver food and supplies to the aircraft—was used to transfer them between planes. Meanwhile, members of the press began taking their seats on the old Air Force One, unaware that the president was no longer on board.
According to American journalists, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hagseth flew to the United Kingdom on the C-32A alongside Trump.
The journalists were sent on a decoy plane
The old Air Force One departed from Turkey with journalists and some White House staff on board. They believed the president was on that same flight.
Members of the presidential press pool were not warned about either the change in aircraft or the scale of the threat. Before takeoff, White House officials also asked the journalists to lower the window shades.
In effect, the Boeing 747 became a decoy aircraft designed to conceal the president’s actual whereabouts. To outside observers, this particular aircraft continued to appear as the main presidential plane.
An important detail: “Air Force One” is not the permanent name of a specific aircraft, but rather the call sign for any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the president. Despite Trump’s absence, the old Boeing 747 was assigned the call sign AF1 during the flight.
Meanwhile, according to the publication, the C-32A carrying the president used an inconspicuous transport call sign. Its flight did not appear on standard, publicly available tracking services.
At that time, Trump was in Ankara at the NATO summit alongside leaders of other countries. The operation took place overnight after the U.S. military, acting on the president’s orders, resumed strikes against Iran. This followed the collapse of negotiations between Washington and Tehran aimed at ending the months-long war.
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The White House put forward a different account of the flight
Officially, the Trump administration reported that the president left Turkey on the older Air Force One. Corresponding information, along with a photo of the plane, also appeared on the White House’s social media accounts.
In reality, Trump flew to the British airbase at Mildenhall on a smaller C-32A. There, he once again stood next to the old presidential plane and appeared before the cameras, giving the impression that he had traveled the entire route on a Boeing 747.
Thus, the president’s actual whereabouts were concealed for several hours not only from the public and journalists but also, according to the publication, from some high-ranking U.S. officials.
Details of the operation remained unknown for nearly a month.
Why did the security detail resort to such a complex operation?
Before departure, U.S. intelligence reportedly received information about a specific threat to Trump or his plane. Turkey borders Iran, and the operation took place following a new escalation between Washington and Tehran.
The White House did not deny key details of the investigation. White House Communications Director Stephen Chun stated that the U.S. has adversaries who could pose a threat to the president, so the agencies are using all available means to protect him.
The Pentagon and the Secret Service referred questions to the White House.
What does the Boeing gifted by Qatar have to do with this?
Trump flew to the NATO summit on a newer Boeing 747-8, which Qatar transferred to the United States for use as a temporary presidential aircraft.
There had previously been debate regarding the level of security on this aircraft. According to U.S. media reports, it lacks some of the specialized defense systems installed on older presidential Boeings. After the trip, Trump stated that the aircraft would be fitted with additional equipment.
At the same time, the White House insists that the aircraft donated by Qatar is safe and equipped with the technology necessary for presidential flights.
Have decoy planes been used before?
For decades, U.S. presidents have rarely traveled without being accompanied by members of the White House press corps, who served as representatives of the American public.
Journalists have traveled to conflict zones alongside numerous presidents, including Trump, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and George W. Bush.
Similar operations have been carried out in the history of U.S. presidencies. In 2000, during Bill Clinton’s visit to Pakistan, Air Force One was also involved in a decoy aircraft scheme.
After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, officials in the Bush administration initially did not disclose the president’s whereabouts, stating only that he had been taken to an “undisclosed location.” At the same time, they did not claim that the president was somewhere he was not actually present. A few hours later, it became known that Bush had been taken to a military facility in Nebraska.
The operation involving Trump was entirely different. It demonstrated just how seriously U.S. security agencies assessed the threat to the president during his departure from Turkey amid the conflict with Iran. Turkey is a key U.S. ally and a NATO member, and it shares a border with Iran.
According to a U.S. official, it was a credible threat to Trump linked to Iran that triggered the “decoy operation.” Last month, The New York Times and CBS News reported that intelligence agencies had warned of a specific threat of an attack on the president or his plane. Additional security measures were subsequently implemented.
For many years, the U.S. government has harbored concerns about Iranian terrorist plots against American officials, including Trump. These concerns have recently intensified due to Washington’s role in the killing of Iranian military and political leaders.
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