President Donald Trump’s reported plane switch in Turkey has raised fresh questions about the safety of the people who stayed aboard the decoy Air Force One flight. During last month’s NATO summit, Trump reportedly moved to a military jet while White House staff, Secret Service agents, U.S. military members and journalists remained on the older aircraft that later flew on to the United Kingdom.
The move was tied to a credible Iranian threat, according to the reporting, and the White House did not respond to a request for comment on whether officials separately assessed the risk to the passengers left behind. That group could have included Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It also was not clear what protective measures, if any, were in place for those aboard the original plane during the flight.
Air Force One is the call sign for the plane carrying the president, not a single aircraft. The Washington Post first reported that Trump quietly switched to another military jet after appearing to board the older aircraft in Turkey. Trump later rejoined the group before the return trip home, according to the report. A separate Wall Street Journal follow-up said Israeli intelligence had briefed the administration on a threat involving shoulder-fired missiles aimed at Air Force One.
Former Secret Service agent Bill Gage said the passengers left on the plane “probably did face an elevated risk,” while also describing the move as a calculated answer to the threat around Trump. He said the operation was likely kept tightly held. “Very few people would have been told about this plan ahead of time,” Gage said. He added that the seriousness of the threat appeared to justify the switch and suggested senior officials and intelligence agencies were involved in shaping the response.
Trump later told reporters they were likely on a dangerous flight because of the people threatening him. When asked why reporters had been told to close their window shades during takeoff, he said, “You’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with.” He also said, “I’m number one on their list, before you,” adding that if he went down, reporters would go too.
