President Donald Trump secretly departed Turkey last month using an elaborate security ruse involving a catering truck and an alternate aircraft. According to a US official, the clandestine operation was prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, leading officials to move the President from an older presidential plane to a smaller Air Force C-32A while hidden from view.
The deception involved multiple aircraft departing separately for the United Kingdom, where Trump eventually boarded a new plane gifted by Qatar to complete his journey home. During the transit, journalists traveling with the President were instructed to keep their window shades closed, a measure Trump later attributed to the dangerous nature of the flight.
White House spokesperson Steven Cheung confirmed that high-level security protocols were utilized to ensure the President's safety against various threats. While Trump publicly claimed the aircraft switch was intended to allow service members to tour the plane, the operation highlights the significant measures taken to protect him during his travel following a NATO summit.
