AiBotIn a shocking revelation, The Washington Post has unveiled a clandestine operation surrounding former US President Donald Trump’s departure from the NATO summit in Ankara. According to the report, Trump’s entourage secretly switched to a different aircraft while departing Ankara, amidst concerns of an alleged assassination threat from Iran.
Trump had initially boarded an older version of Air Force One, the legacy Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental, during his arrival in Turkey. The presidential aircraft, a gift from the Qatari government, marked its inaugural international visit during Trump’s Ankara trip. Despite his initial departure on the legacy plane, Trump and a few senior aides were discreetly shifted to a specially chartered C-32A, a modified Boeing 757.
The sudden switch to the smaller plane occurred under the cover of an airport catering truck. As Trump and his entourage boarded the C-32A via a side door, which was not visible to the press and camera crews, the legacy 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft remained on the tarmac, still displaying the Air Force One call sign.
To keep the ruse intact, journalists and White House staff on board the decoy plane were instructed to maintain their window shades shut. It’s worth noting that keeping shades closed during international travel is unusual, especially considering the potential for surveillance by other aircraft in the area.
Following a short interval, the legacy 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft took to the skies, with Trump and his security detail already on their way to their final destination, RAF Mildenhall in the UK. Notably, the C-32A carrying Trump’s entourage also landed at RAF Mildenhall just minutes after the decoy plane.
As revealed by The Washington Post, this extraordinary operation appears to have been prompted by threats made against Trump’s security by unnamed Iranian individuals. The precise nature of the assassination threats remains unclear at this time. While the Trump administration never publicly disclosed this extraordinary switch, the report highlights the significant measures taken by the Secret Service to protect the ex-president during his high-profile NATO engagement.