US President Donald Trump has said the plane he secretly boarded in Turkey last month was at greater risk than the Air Force One aircraft he was initially expected to use, following an alleged Iranian assassination threat.
Trump was transferred from Air Force One to a military aircraft through a catering truck after the NATO summit in Ankara, according to US media reports.
The unusual operation remained undisclosed until The Washington Post reported it on Monday, citing sources familiar with the security arrangements.
Trump says he followed Secret Service orders
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said the decision to switch aircraft was made by the US Secret Service and that he simply followed the instructions of the agency responsible for protecting him.
“I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,” Trump said.
“I think it was at greater risk because that would be the plane I think that they would be more likely to go for,” he added.
Trump also acknowledged that there had been a security threat but said he did not seek extensive details about it.
“I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it. I get a lot of threats,” he said.
After social media users circulated memes suggesting that Trump had hidden inside a catering truck, the president appeared to downplay the unusual circumstances surrounding the operation.
“Well, it’s only up to the Secret Service. I just follow what they’d like to do, so I go by Secret Service and the military,” Trump said.
.@POTUS: “I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane… I do what they say… I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it. I get a lot of threats.” pic.twitter.com/Q5SgBpU1n1
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) August 12, 2026
Trump secretly switched aircraft in Turkey
According to The Washington Post, Trump initially boarded an older Air Force One aircraft in Ankara after attending the NATO summit.
However, shortly after boarding, he was secretly transported from the aircraft in an airport catering truck and taken to a smaller C-32A military aircraft, which then flew him to Britain.
The older Air Force One aircraft continued the journey with journalists and some White House staff members who reportedly believed the president was travelling with them.
The operation was reportedly prompted by a credible threat against Trump.
The White House had publicly indicated at the time that Trump was travelling aboard Air Force One from Turkey to Britain, meaning the aircraft carrying the journalists effectively served as a decoy.
Trump took secret flight from Turkey amid Iran threat: report
Security concerns surrounding new Air Force One
Trump had travelled to Ankara aboard a newly renovated aircraft donated by Qatar for the NATO summit.
The aircraft’s first international trip came amid escalating tensions with Iran, which shares a border with Turkey.
Trump unexpectedly announced before leaving Ankara that he would use an older Air Force One aircraft for part of his return journey, saying it would be used “for old time’s sake.”
The unusual aircraft switch subsequently raised questions about the security of the newly renovated plane and the reasons behind the president’s decision to use a different aircraft.
The White House has maintained that the Qatari-donated aircraft has been equipped with advanced security measures designed to protect the president and his staff.
Trump’s latest comments provide further details about the covert operation, but the exact nature of the threat that prompted the aircraft switch has not been publicly disclosed.
