Trump reportedly switched to a smaller military plane after departing NATO summit in Turkey
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According to a Washington Post report, President Trump left the NATO summit in Ankara on a secret Air Force C-32A after initially boarding a legacy Air Force One, citing an Iranian assassination threat.
President Donald Trump is said to have been moved to a smaller Air Force C-32A aircraft shortly after boarding a legacy Air Force One plane in Ankara, Turkey, following the NATO summit. The Washington Post reported that the change was made in response to an Iranian threat against the president and that the operation was concealed from journalists and some White House staff who believed they were traveling on the same aircraft.
The report, based on material reviewed by the newspaper and statements from a U.S. official and another source familiar with the travel, says Trump initially boarded the older baby-blue Air Force One before being transferred via a catering truck to the C-32A, which then flew to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. After arriving at Mildenhall, Trump is reported to have re-boarded the newer Qatar-gifted Air Force One for the remainder of the flight to Washington.
White House communications director Steven Cheung said, > “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.” The Secret Service declined to comment, and the Air Force referred inquiries to the White House.
Intelligence officials had previously expressed concerns about the security of the Qatar-provided aircraft, prompting additional precautions and the decision not to use it for the first leg of the president’s return. Former Secret Service agent Paul Eckloff described the move as “unusual” but not unprecedented.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal called for a congressional investigation, describing the incident as “unprecedented” and “surreal.”