Trump Turkey plane switch tied to Iran missile threat

President Trump’s Turkey plane switch last month was reportedly driven by fears that Iranian operatives could use a shoulder-fired missile to target the presidential aircraft as it left Ankara. The unusual departure, which had Trump slipping off Air Force One and boarding a military plane instead, came after intelligence and security officials warned of a possible threat to his safety during the NATO gathering in Turkey.

According to the New York Times, US intelligence learned that Iran had tracked down the hotel floor where Trump was staying, and an unidentified person was seen with a shoulder-fired missile near the annual conference of NATO heads of state in Ankara. Other outlets, including CNN, later confirmed that the missile threat was what pushed the secret aircraft change. Trump himself addressed the move after the details emerged, telling reporters Tuesday evening, “I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go in a different flight, a different plane for safety. They wanted me to do it, so I did it. I did what they said.”

The Washington Post first reported Monday evening that Trump had left Turkey on July 8 aboard a smaller military plane even though he was photographed boarding Air Force One and many reporters and senior aides were still under the impression he would be traveling on the main presidential jet. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung stayed on Air Force One, which was used as a decoy, while Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino joined Trump on the smaller aircraft. The arrangement kept the switch hidden until after the flight was underway.