Trump Secretly Used Military Jet to Leave Turkey Amid Iran Threat, Report Says

US President Donald Trump reportedly used a secret military flight to leave Turkey during his trip for the NATO summit after concerns emerged over a potential threat from Iran.

According to a report by The Washington Post, Trump was moved from an airport catering truck to a smaller military aircraft after cameras had already captured him boarding the older Air Force One in Ankara. The unusual arrangement reportedly allowed the President to leave Turkey without revealing his actual mode of travel.

Trump Switched to a Smaller Military Aircraft

Trump had travelled to Ankara for the NATO summit aboard a newly renovated aircraft donated by Qatar. It was the first international trip for the newly acquired plane.

However, when it was time to leave Turkey, Trump did not use the new aircraft. Instead, he was reportedly taken secretly to an Air Force C-32A, a smaller military aircraft commonly used for senior government officials.

The Washington Post cited a US official familiar with the operation and another person who had knowledge of Trump's travel arrangements.

The report said Trump first boarded the older Air Force One in front of cameras in Ankara. He was then secretly transported in an airport catering truck to the smaller C-32A.

Media and Staff Were Believed to Be Travelling With Trump

The unusual security arrangement reportedly meant that journalists and members of Trump's staff believed they were travelling with the President aboard the older Air Force One.

The C-32A later flew to Britain and landed at around 10:20 pm. The older Air Force One carrying the media and other personnel arrived only a few minutes later.

The secret switch in aircraft reportedly took place against the backdrop of increasing tensions with Iran. Turkey shares a border with Iran, making the security situation particularly sensitive during Trump's NATO trip.

Trump Had Earlier Explained the Use of Old Air Force One

Trump had previously said on Truth Social that he planned to use the older baby-blue Air Force One for his journey from Ankara to RAF Mildenhall in Britain.

He described the decision as being “for old time's sake”. According to his explanation, the newly renovated aircraft would also stop at the British airbase, where US military personnel stationed there would be allowed to tour the plane.

However, the reported use of a third aircraft for Trump's actual travel was not publicly disclosed at the time.

White House Says Security Measures Were in Place

The White House did not directly comment on the reported secret flight but provided a statement from Communications Director Steve Cheung.

Cheung said the Qatari-donated aircraft had been equipped with high-level security protocols designed to protect the President and his staff.

He also pointed to Trump's recent comments about threats against him and said the administration uses all available tools to deal with potential threats.

The statement was reportedly the same response given to The Washington Post regarding the secret flight.

Pentagon Yet to Comment

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the reported use of the C-32A and the security arrangements surrounding Trump's departure from Turkey.

The reported flight has drawn attention because of the unusual steps taken to keep Trump's actual aircraft and travel arrangements from being publicly known.

The development also comes at a time of heightened tensions involving Iran, adding another layer to the security concerns surrounding the US President's international travel.