President Donald Trump was reportedly transported off Air Force One using a catering cart last month as part of an elaborate plan to circumvent potential assassination threats from Iran. The operation was designed to conceal his departure from an airport in Ankara, Turkey, following the NATO summit.
According to a senior official familiar with the plan who spoke to The New York Times, Trump was moved via a food cart that had been fitted into the belly of the aircraft. From there, he was taken by car to a separate, undisclosed plane for his secret journey to a United States military base in the United Kingdom.
The report suggests this maneuver was a response to a credible threat against the president and Air Force One specifically from Iran. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung had previously indicated that administration officials employed "distraction and misdirection" to counter threats against the president, noting that "many enemies of America who have their sights on him."
Trump had initially announced he would travel on an older model aircraft for his departure from Turkey, rather than the recently outfitted 747-8 donated by Qatari officials, which features advanced security protocols. While Cheung denied that the Qatari-donated jet posed a security risk, emphasizing its "high-level security protocols," the alleged use of the catering cart points to extreme precautions being taken.
A catering truck was observed parked on the opposite side of Air Force One after Trump had boarded the plane on July 8, an image that may align with the reported security measures.
A catering truck was visibly parked on the opposite side of Air Force One after Trump boarded the plane on July 8
President Donald Trump was reportedly smuggled off Air Force One in a catering cart in a ruse due to the threat of an assassination from Iranian officials
