Former President Donald Trump reportedly made a covert switch to a military jet during a NATO summit in Turkey last month, a move designed to evade a potential threat from Iran. The decision, detailed in reports, has brought renewed focus on security protocols and the safety of personnel and press left behind on the decoy aircraft.
According to reports, Trump appeared to board the older Air Force One in Turkey but secretly transferred to a different military jet. Journalists, White House staff, Secret Service agents, and U.S. Military members remained aboard the aircraft that subsequently flew to the United Kingdom. Trump later rejoined the group before their return to the United States.
The White House has not commented on whether specific risk assessments were made for those remaining on the decoy plane, or what protective measures, if any, were in place for them. The call sign "Air Force One" refers to any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the president, not a specific plane.
Further reports indicated that Israeli intelligence had briefed the Trump administration about a threat involving shoulder-fired missiles targeting Air Force One. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was reportedly among the high-ranking aides who stayed on the older aircraft.
Former Secret Service agent Bill Gage stated that individuals on the decoy aircraft likely faced an elevated risk. He described the maneuver as a calculated response to the prevailing threat environment. "Any travel with him should be considered a risk," Gage said. "I think some members of the government at the highest levels made a calculated risk to not tell anyone on the fake AF1."
The distinction in the reported threat was that it was allegedly aimed at the aircraft believed to be carrying Trump, rather than the decoy jet itself. The president’s discreet departure left passengers on the decoy plane vulnerable, with no public information regarding additional security provisions for them.
Reporters traveling on the older Air Force One recounted being asked to close their window shades during takeoff from Turkey. When questioned about this later, Trump reportedly said, "You’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with." He added, "I’m number one on their list, before you... But if I go, you go right? So perhaps some day you want to change professions."
Gage suggested that such operations are typically kept within a very small circle due to security sensitivities, with "very few people" informed in advance. He noted that the decision to move Trump to a different jet indicated that officials were acting on substantial, corroborated intelligence, likely involving high levels of government and intelligence agencies.
Robert McDonald, a former senior Secret Service official, described such deceptive movements, sometimes called "shell games," as unusual but part of the Secret Service's contingency planning when credible intelligence necessitates extraordinary measures. McDonald stated that while the Air Force is responsible for presidential aircraft security, he believed both planes were likely under surveillance and escort from allied or U.S. Air Force aircraft.
This reported incident is not the first time Air Force One aircraft have been used to circumvent potential threats. During President Bill Clinton's 2000 visit to Pakistan, a marked decoy aircraft arrived first, with Secret Service agents disembarking before Clinton's separate arrival on an unmarked plane.
However, the reported Turkey operation differs from many past surprise trips where a limited press pool traveled with the president under secrecy. CNN anchor Jake Tapper noted that while previous White Houses have used deception to protect presidents, the reported Turkey incident, involving a decoy plane full of staff and journalists during an imminent threat, was unprecedented among officials he had spoken with.
Former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer defended the reported deception as a necessary security measure if the threat was credible. "If there’s a credible threat against any POTUS, their job is to protect him," Fleischer wrote on X. "I’m sorry if the press felt deceived. In an extraordinary situation like that, what was the WH supposed to do? Announce the switch?"