Report: Trump switched planes in Turkey over threat from Iran proxy forces
According to a New York Times report, Donald Trump changed aircraft before departing Turkey earlier this month after US officials identified a credible threat from Iranian proxy forces targeting him and Air Force One.
Donald Trump switched aircraft before leaving Turkey earlier this month after US officials determined there was a credible threat from Iranian proxy forces targeting him and Air Force One, according to a New York Times report.
The threat emerged while the US president was attending the NATO summit. He had arrived in Ankara aboard the new Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8, an aircraft that Trump acknowledged lacks the advanced defensive systems of the older Air Force One.
After US officials detected the threat, the Secret Service recommended that Trump change aircraft before leaving the country, anonymous sources told the Times. He later announced he would depart on the older Air Force One.
The newly reported details help explain why the White House quickly decided to swap aircraft. They also highlight ongoing security concerns about the donated jet, which Trump had pushed to have ready for use as soon as possible.
US officials did not believe the Iranian proxy forces were specifically targeting the new Boeing 747-8. Instead, intelligence indicated the threat was directed at Trump himself and whichever aircraft he was traveling on. The White House has been contacted for comment.
Trump's Justice Department had previously subpoenaed New York Times reporters over their coverage of security risks involving the Qatari-gifted Air Force One replacement, but those efforts have been dropped for now.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Trump flew part of the trip home from the NATO summit in Turkey on the older Air Force One after arriving on the new Qatari-gifted aircraft. At the time, Trump did not provide a detailed explanation for the switch, saying he would use the legacy aircraft "for old time's sake." He also said both planes would make a previously unscheduled stop at Royal Air Force Mildenhall.
Trump has previously spoken about threats from Iran against his life, even claiming he left standing orders for the US military to destroy Iran "at levels they've never seen before" if Tehran carries out its longstanding threats to kill him.
The revelations come as Trump reportedly mulls escalating attacks on Iran after a ceasefire deal recently broke down. He has vowed "major military punishment" for Tehran and its Houthi allies in Yemen, while leaving the door open to a diplomatic deal.
"We are talking to them. I think they're being serious. I think they are being by far the most serious that we've seen them, but that doesn't mean we get there," Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday. He added: "We're locked and loaded. We're ready to go."
