A potential Iranian surface-to-air missile threat targeting Air Force One prompted US President Donald Trump to make a covert exit from Turkey last month, with the President secretly switching aircraft as he concluded his visit to the NATO summit in Ankara, according to two US officials.
New York Times reported, citing two officials familiar with the intelligence said US agencies had received multiple streams of information indicating a specific threat involving a surface-to-air missile targeting Air Force One, meaning whichever aircraft was carrying the President.
The officials also said that a person in the vicinity of the NATO summit had been spotted with a shoulder-fired missile on July 8.
Iranian operatives had details of Trump’s location
According to the officials, Iranian operatives also had detailed information about Trump’s location in Ankara, including the building where he was staying and the specific floor occupied by the President. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity while discussing sensitive intelligence related to the reported threat.
The information was considered credible enough for Trump and senior members of his administration to undertake an extraordinary decoy operation to get the President out of Turkey safely. Trump initially boarded the older Air Force One aircraft in front of cameras, having earlier said he would use the plane โfor old timeโs sake.โ’
How Trump evaded Iranian threat at Turkey airport
However, Trump was subsequently moved discreetly from the larger aircraft and transferred to a smaller C-32A military jet. The President was secretly transported inside an airport catering container that was moved from the larger aircraft to the smaller jet, allowing him to leave the country without drawing attention to the change in aircraft.
The entire sequence was also captured on camera.
Previous assassination attempts at Trump
The reported security operation came against the backdrop of previous Iranian plots targeting Trump. The former US president was grazed by a would-be assassin’s bullet while campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024. Later that year, another armed man was arrested after being discovered near Trump’s golf course in Florida.
The two assassination attempts, however, were unrelated to the Iranian threats described in the latest report.
Trump has also previously been the target of an alleged Iranian-backed assassination plot. A man was convicted in connection with a murder-for-hire scheme against Trump that was uncovered by the Biden administration. US authorities said the plot was led by Iranians and involved the use of a proxy force.
The latest intelligence prompted heightened security measures during Trump’s departure from Turkey, with officials opting for a covert aircraft switch rather than publicly revealing the threat. The operation allowed the President to leave the country aboard the smaller military aircraft while the larger Air Force One remained part of the apparent decoy operation.
Also Read:
Hiding in catering container, switching aircraft: How Trump survived Iran assassination bid in Turkey
ย