Key facts
- Donald Trump switched aircraft before departing Turkey due to a threat from Iranian proxy forces.
- US officials detected the threat while Trump was attending the NATO summit.
- The Secret Service recommended the change of aircraft.
- Trump departed on the older Air Force One.
- Intelligence suggested the threat was against Trump, not the specific aircraft.
US President Donald Trump switched aircraft before departing Turkey earlier this month after US officials determined there was a credible threat from Iranian proxy forces targeting him and Air Force One, according to a report from the New York Times. The threat surfaced while the US president was attending the NATO summit. He had arrived in Ankara onboard a new Boeing 747-8, which lacks the advanced defensive systems of the older Air Force One. Anonymous sources told the Times that after US officials detected the threat, the Secret Service recommended Trump change aircraft before leaving the country. He subsequently departed on the older Air Force One. The report suggests the White House quickly decided to swap aircraft due to these security concerns. US officials did not believe the Iranian proxy forces were specifically targeting the new jet, but rather Trump himself. The White House has been contacted for comment. Trump's justice department had previously subpoenaed New York Times reporters over coverage of security risks involving the Qatari-gifted Air Force One replacement, but those efforts have been dropped for now. Earlier this month, it was reported that Trump flew part of the trip home from the NATO summit in Turkey aboard the older Air Force One after arriving on the new aircraft, stating at the time he would use the legacy aircraft "for old time's sake." Trump has previously spoken about threats from Iran against his life and has vowed "major military punishment" for Tehran and its Houthi allies in Yemen, though he has also left open the possibility of a diplomatic deal. He recently told reporters, "We're locked and loaded. We're ready to go."