Key facts
- Donald Trump secretly departed Turkey on a smaller military jet, not the expected Air Force One.
- The operation involved using a catering truck to move Trump to a different aircraft.
- US intelligence allegedly found a credible threat of an Iranian plot to kill Trump.
- Democrats are demanding a congressional briefing on the security operation and alleged deception.
- Turkey suspects Israel fabricated the Iranian plot to disrupt US-Iran negotiations.
Democrats are demanding a congressional briefing following reports that Donald Trump was secretly moved to a different aircraft than the one the public and press believed he was traveling on during his departure from Turkey. The operation, first reported by The Washington Post and The New York Times, involved Trump reportedly being spirited away from Air Force One via a catering truck amid an alleged credible threat from Iran to kill him.
Critics question the elaborate deception, which allegedly kept over a hundred aides, officials, and reporters onboard the original Air Force One without informing them of the threat to their lives. Senator Richard Blumenthal called the operation "unprecedented and surreal" and "downright scary," emphasizing the need for a briefing to ensure the safety of all passengers.
The White House has not directly confirmed the specifics, with Communications Director Steven Cheung stating that officials used "every tool at our disposal" to protect the president from numerous threats. This revelation casts new light on Trump's decision to use an older Air Force One instead of a newly refurbished jet gifted by Qatar for his return journey from a NATO summit.
Intelligence officials had reportedly raised concerns about a possible attack on Trump or his aircraft due to escalating conflict with Iran, with the US military conducting major strikes against Iran during the summit. However, some experts question the plausibility of Iran targeting a presidential aircraft at such a distance, suggesting the threat might have been exaggerated or related to different attack vectors.
Meanwhile, Turkey suspects that Israel fabricated the Iranian assassination plot to disrupt ongoing US-Iran negotiations.