President Donald Trump was covertly moved from Air Force One into a catering truck and then to a separate military jet on July 8 to evade a potential Iranian missile threat, according to reports. The operation took place as Trump departed Turkey following a NATO summit.
Security services detected a credible threat to fire a missile at Air Force One, prompting the clandestine plane swap. Trump and a small group of trusted aides, including executive assistant Natalie Harp and director of Oval Office operations Walt Nauta, were reportedly placed inside a catering truck that had docked with the presidential aircraft. Within 60 seconds, the group was lowered to the tarmac and whisked away to a waiting C-32A military jet.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly feigned a routine boarding of the military plane to distract from the covert operation. Meanwhile, journalists and other White House staff believed they were still on Air Force One, which was used as a decoy. Some senior cabinet officials, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, were aware of the president's alternate route, but lower-level staff were unaware they were serving as decoys.
Natalie Harp, described as Trump's "connective tissue" and a close confidante, was reportedly Trump's "first pick" to accompany him on the secret flight. Other aides on the decoy flight included top advisor Stephen Miller and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung. The decoy flight carried passengers to RAF Mildenhall in the UK.
Trump confirmed the plane swap to reporters on Tuesday, stating he followed the advice of the Secret Service and the military. He suggested that the decoy plane might have been at greater risk of being targeted. Sources familiar with overseas travel indicated that such "Ghost Flight" tactics, involving the use of multiple aircraft, have been employed previously, particularly when threats are present.
The operation occurred amid heightened tensions with Iran. A large banner depicting Trump in a bullseye was reportedly displayed in Tehran, and Iranian media had released threatening AI-generated videos targeting the First Family.