Iranian Threat and Airport Maneuver: How Trump Secretly Left Turkey Without Air Force One

US President Donald Trump’s departure from Turkey last month was carried out through a complex security and disinformation operation after US intelligence agencies identified a credible Iranian threat against him.

A source familiar with the matter said the threat emerged during the final day of the summit. The situation was deemed so serious that US officials believed the president could be at risk if he left Turkey aboard Air Force One or the aircraft donated by Qatar, which he had used to travel to the summit.

To ensure his safety, a plan was drawn up to transfer Trump from Air Force One to a smaller C-32A aircraft without publicly announcing the change. During the transfer, a catering truck was positioned near the presidential aircraft, serving as a barrier to block the view.

A CNN review of the footage found that the vehicle had been positioned near Air Force One before the presidential motorcade arrived on the tarmac at Ankara airport. After Trump boarded the other aircraft, the truck drove away, while Air Force One departed without the president on board.

The larger presidential aircraft took off at around 8:44 p.m. local time. Approximately one minute later, the C-32A carrying Trump also departed from the airport.

Some members of the delegation that had accompanied the president during the summit did not travel with him on the alternative aircraft. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent continued the flight aboard Air Force One, along with White House staff members, military personnel and journalists.

US officials said most of those aboard Air Force One were unaware that Trump was no longer on the aircraft.

The president flew aboard the C-32A to a military base in Britain. From there, he transferred back to the new Qatari aircraft and continued his journey to Washington.

Trump was accompanied on the smaller aircraft by Natalie Harp, Dan Scavino and Walt Nauta. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was also with the president during the transfer.

On Tuesday, the White House chief confirmed that he had switched to another aircraft at the request of the Secret Service and the military, although he sought to downplay the seriousness of the threat that had prompted the measure.

Trump said the possibility of an attack had not concerned him and that he had simply followed the instructions of the agencies responsible for his security.

“I do what they say,” the president said, stressing that he had not been given many details about the reasons behind the aircraft change.