Trump Took Secret Military Flight From Turkey Amid Iranian Assassination Threat

President Donald Trump secretly departed Turkey on July 8 using a military transport aircraft instead of Air Force One to avoid a reported Iranian assassination threat, according to reporting by the Washington Post. The operation involved a decoy flight to mislead potential attackers and members of the press during the president’s return from a NATO summit in Ankara.

The Washington Post reports that the White House publicly claimed the president was aboard Air Force One, but he was actually transferred to a smaller C-32A aircraft. This aircraft is a modified Boeing 757 used by the U.S. Air Force for transporting high-ranking government officials.

According to a U.S. official and confirmation materials viewed by the Washington Post, the transfer was executed using an airport catering truck. These vehicles are typically used to load meals and supplies onto aircraft. The president and a small group of aides entered the liftable compartment of the truck to move from the larger Boeing 747 to the C-32A without being seen.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also traveled on the C-32A, though he boarded the aircraft separately via an external staircase, according to Linkiesta.

Decoy Flight and Security Measures in Ankara

The security operation began with a public appearance. Trump had arrived in Turkey on a Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar and modified for presidential use, but he announced he would use the older Boeing 747 for his departure. He stated this was to recall old times and allow U.S. military personnel in the United Kingdom to see the new aircraft, according to Linkiesta.

Trump appeared on camera boarding the older Air Force One. Minutes later, he exited through a door on the opposite side of the aircraft to enter the catering truck that transported him to the C-32A, the Washington Post reports.

While the president was on the C-32A, the older Boeing 747 took off from Ankara carrying accredited journalists and White House staff. Linkiesta reports that these passengers were not informed that the president had changed planes. Before takeoff, journalists were asked to lower their window blinds.

The decoy aircraft used the call sign “AF1” during the flight. Because “Air Force One” is a call sign assigned to any U.S. Air Force aircraft carrying the president rather than a specific plane, this helped maintain the illusion that Trump was on board, according to Linkiesta.

Flight Path and Arrival in the United Kingdom

The C-32A carrying the president flew to the Royal Air Force base at Mildenhall in the United Kingdom using the call sign “Reach 18,” which is typically associated with military transport missions, according to sources cited by the Washington Post.

Public flight data indicates the Boeing 747 from Qatar arrived at Mildenhall at 6:26 p.m. local time, but no public data exists for the C-32A’s path, Linkiesta reports. Aviation enthusiasts captured video of a C-32A model landing around 10:20 p.m., followed nine minutes later by the older Air Force One.

At 10:56 p.m., Trump appeared on camera descending the stairs of the older Air Force One to create the impression he had traveled on that aircraft. He then boarded the aircraft from Qatar and departed for Washington with his staff and the press pool, according to Linkiesta.

Intelligence Context and Iranian Tensions

The decision to use a secret flight followed specific intelligence warnings regarding a threat against the president or his aircraft, according to sources cited by the Washington Post and Linkiesta.

The trip occurred during a period of heightened tension with Iran. Linkiesta reports that the flight took place the night after the resumption of U.S. attacks ordered by Trump, which followed the collapse of negotiations between Washington and Tehran.