Key facts
- President Trump confirmed he secretly switched planes in Turkey due to a credible Iranian missile threat.
- The Secret Service and military insisted on the plane switch due to the threat.
- A decoy plane was used, with two cabinet members remaining aboard.
- The operation involved a small group of aides and a catering truck for the transfer.
- Past presidents have also made secret trips to high-risk areas.
President Donald Trump confirmed he was secretly moved to an unmarked government jet in Turkey due to a credible and imminent threat of a shoulder-fired missile attack from Iran. The Secret Service deemed the threat credible, prompting an operation to conceal the president's movements on July 8, following his NATO summit visit. Trump and a small group of aides used a catering truck to switch from the large presidential aircraft to a smaller jet, while two cabinet members remained aboard a decoy plane. This practice of secret presidential trips to high-risk areas has been employed by previous administrations, including those of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, often involving decoy planes and strict secrecy protocols for accompanying press pools.