US President Donald Trump was secretly moved from Air Force One to a smaller government aircraft during his visit to Türkiye last month after US security officials received what they considered a credible and imminent missile threat, according to a person briefed on the matter.
The dramatic security operation took place on the final day of Trump’s visit to Ankara for the NATO summit, amid heightened tensions with Iran.
Trump secretly switched to smaller aircraft
According to the source, US Secret Service officials feared that the presidential aircraft could be targeted by a shoulder-fired missile.
With little time to prepare, officials reportedly devised a plan to conceal Trump’s movements. The president and a small group of aides were moved from Air Force One to a smaller, less recognisable C-32A government jet using a catering truck.
The operation took place on July 8 as Trump prepared to leave Ankara.
Meanwhile, the aircraft identified publicly as Air Force One departed separately with senior administration officials, White House staff and members of the travelling press corps on board.
The source said the intelligence was considered serious enough to prompt the unusual deception, although officials did not have a clear indication that an attack plan had actually been prepared.
Intelligence source remains undisclosed
The person briefed on the operation declined to reveal where the threat intelligence came from.
A second source said hostile actors appeared to have the intention of targeting Trump but did not have a clearly developed plan for carrying out an attack. That uncertainty was reportedly one reason both aircraft were allowed to continue flying.
Trump later confirmed that the aircraft change had been ordered by the Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the US president.
“I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,” Trump told reporters, suggesting that the smaller aircraft could itself have been a more attractive target if attackers knew where he was travelling.
Trump says plane he used in secret Turkey flight faced ‘greater risk’
Possible concern over heat-seeking missiles
Military experts said one possible concern could have involved modern shoulder-fired missiles capable of tracking the heat produced by aircraft engines.
Douglas Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, said such weapons can be difficult to detect because some do not emit the radio signals associated with traditional radar-guided systems.
He pointed to weapons such as Russia’s 9K333 Verba and an Iranian system identified as the SA-67, which he said can use heat-seeking or laser-guidance technology.
However, the specific weapon involved in the reported threat has not been publicly confirmed.
Air Force One reportedly served as a decoy
Among those travelling on the aircraft that continued separately were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House communications director Steven Cheung and members of the press corps.
Trump, meanwhile, travelled with a small group of aides, including Dan Scavino, Natalie Harp and Walt Nauta.
The unusual arrangement has raised questions about whether journalists and officials aboard the aircraft believed to be carrying Trump were exposed to additional risk.
The source said, however, that officials concluded keeping Trump’s location secret was the safest option given the escalating tensions with Iran.
The Washington Post first revealed details of the operation more than a month after it took place. The New York Times subsequently reported that US officials had been concerned that Iranian actors knew details of Trump’s location in Ankara, including the floor of his hotel.
Trump ultimately left Türkiye without incident and travelled to Britain for a refuelling stop before continuing his journey.
Turkish officials had not immediately commented on the reported missile threat.
