Trump Defends Secret Flight Switch, Claims His Plane Faced Greater Risk

President Donald Trump stated that a military aircraft carrying him on a secret flight from Turkey last month faced a greater risk of attack than a decoy Air Force One, addressing security maneuvers prompted by an Iranian threat.

Secret Flight Switch Following NATO Summit

According to Reuters and The Washington Post, the security operation took place following a NATO summit in Ankara. President Trump secretly transferred from Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft via an airport catering truck. White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, executive assistant Natalie Harp, and Oval Office operations director Walt Nauta joined Trump in the truck alongside several other aides, as reported by The Washington Post.

ABC News reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained on the decoy Air Force One, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled on the aircraft carrying the president. All three Cabinet members were aware of the switch due to the security threat, according to ABC News sources.

Trump Assesses Flight Vulnerability

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at Joint Base Andrews following a trip to Ohio, Trump defended the operation and downplayed his knowledge of the specific intelligence. According to Reuters, Trump said he was following the direction of the U.S. Secret Service and the military.

“I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,” Trump told reporters, as quoted by ABC News. “I think it was at greater risk because that would be the plane I think that we — that they would be more likely to go for.”

When asked about the threat environment, Trump told reporters, according to Reuters, “I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it. I get a lot of threats.”

Decoy Operation and Media Response

The White House initially stated that the president was flying aboard Air Force One from Turkey to Britain. However, reporters aboard the decoy plane were instructed by Secret Service mandates to keep windows closed for the duration of the flight, and the aircraft had its transponder turned off, according to ABC News reporting.

The trip marked the first international travel for a newly renovated Qatari-donated jet used for the summit. Trump unexpectedly announced he would use an older Air Force One model upon departure, which initially generated questions regarding the newer plane’s security and cost before details of the Iranian threat emerged.