President Donald Trump secretly flew out of Turkey on a smaller Air Force C-32A plane last month while creating a diversion that he was on Air Force One, according to reports from the Washington Post and The New York Times. The operation was prompted by an Iranian assassination threat during the NATO summit in Ankara. Trump boarded the old Air Force One in view of cameras before secretly switching to a smaller plane via an airport catering truck, fooling some journalists and White House staff members who believed they were on the same plane as the president.
Key Takeaways
President Donald Trump secretly flew out of Turkey on a smaller Air Force C-32A plane while creating a diversion that he was on Air Force One, due to an Iranian assassination threat during last month’s NATO summit.
- Trump boarded the old Air Force One in view of cameras before secretly switching to a smaller plane via an airport catering truck.
- The White House made it appear that Trump was flying on Air Force One, fooling some journalists and staff members.
- The operation was prompted by a credible threat from Iran, according to reports from the Washington Post and New York Times.
- Trump later boarded the new Qatar-donated Air Force One to fly back to Washington.
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▼Source Claims Check
High ConsensusAll 4 publishers report consistent facts across 3 key claims.
| Claim | Status | Reason | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secret Flight | Broad Agreement | Trump secretly flew out of Turkey on a smaller Air Force C-32A plane. | |
| Threat From Iran | Broad Agreement | Iranian assassination threat prompted the secret operation. | |
| Subpoenas | Broad Agreement | The White House subpoenaed the Times journalists over the report, but later withdrew them. |
Secret Flight
Broad AgreementTrump secretly flew out of Turkey on a smaller Air Force C-32A plane.
Threat From Iran
Broad AgreementIranian assassination threat prompted the secret operation.
Subpoenas
Broad AgreementThe White House subpoenaed the Times journalists over the report, but later withdrew them.
This analysis is AI-generated and may not perfectly represent each source's reporting. Always read the original articles for full context.
The Washington Post reported that the operation was carried out as journalists and some White House staff members were led to believe they were on the same plane as the president. The deception involved Trump posting on his social media site Truth Social about taking an older-model Air Force One for 'old time’s sake' while he actually boarded a smaller military plane.
The New York Times and CBS News reported that intelligence officials had raised concerns about a potential attack on the president or his jet, triggering additional precautions. The White House later subpoenaed the Times journalists over the report, demanding to know who disclosed the information, but the subpoenas were later withdrawn.
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal called for a congressional investigation into the incident, describing it as 'unprecedented and surreal.' Trump himself acknowledged the threat during a gaggle with reporters aboard the aircraft, stating that he has threats all the time and is number one on Iran's list. The operation adds a fresh layer to how seriously concerned U.S. security officials were about the threat against Trump during the ongoing war with Iran.
How this summary was created
This summary synthesizes reporting from 4 independent publishers using AI. All sources are cited and linked below. NewsBalance is a news aggregator and media literacy tool, not a news publisher. AI-generated content may contain errors or inaccuracies — always verify important information with the original sources.