Washington: US President Donald Trump reportedly left Turkey on a secret military flight following last month's NATO summit in Ankara, with security officials taking extraordinary measures amid concerns over a possible Iranian threat to his life.
According to a report by The Washington Post, Trump was publicly seen boarding an older Air Force One aircraft after the summit, creating the impression that he would travel to the United Kingdom aboard the presidential plane.
However, the report said Trump was subsequently moved to a smaller US Air Force C-32A aircraft through a highly concealed operation at the airport.
The Associated Press said it had not independently verified the Washington Post account.
Trump had arrived in Turkey aboard a newly refurbished aircraft gifted by Qatar. Before his departure, however, he said he would use an older Air Force One aircraft for part of his return journey.
At Ankara airport, Trump was seen boarding the older presidential aircraft in front of television cameras.
According to the Post, the president was then secretly transferred to the smaller C-32A. The transfer was reportedly carried out using an airport catering truck positioned beside the aircraft, allowing Trump and several aides to move without being detected by journalists travelling with him.
The journalists who believed they were travelling with Trump on Air Force One were reportedly asked to keep their window shades closed before takeoff.
The decoy aircraft subsequently travelled to RAF Mildenhall in Britain, where Trump was later photographed emerging from the presidential plane.
The reported operation came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
According to the Post, an Iranian assassination threat against Trump prompted the additional security measures. Intelligence officials had reportedly raised concerns about a potential attack targeting the president or his aircraft.
The US military had also carried out strikes against Iran during the period surrounding Trump's visit to Turkey.
The White House did not directly address questions about the reported aircraft switch. Communications director Steven Cheung instead pointed to the broader security threats facing the president.
“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,” Cheung said.
The US Secret Service declined to comment, while the US Air Force referred questions to the White House
The unusual flight arrangement has also renewed questions about the security of the new aircraft gifted to Trump by Qatar.
Trump had travelled to the NATO summit aboard the aircraft, which had undergone extensive modifications. However, the plane was reportedly not used for the first leg of his return journey.
Trump had previously said the aircraft would be flown to Britain so that US personnel stationed there could inspect it. Following the trip, he said the aircraft would undergo further upgrades.
The White House has maintained that the plane is equipped with advanced security systems.
Cheung said the aircraft was “a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff.”
Former Secret Service special agent Paul Eckloff described the reported manoeuvre as highly unusual, although not entirely unprecedented.
“I would not say unprecedented, but it is an unusual occurrence,” Eckloff told the Associated Press.
The report has also triggered political questions in Washington. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal called for a congressional investigation, describing the episode as “unprecedented” and “surreal”.
After reaching Britain, Trump eventually boarded the newer presidential aircraft for the final leg of his journey to Washington.
During a media interaction aboard the aircraft, Trump was asked whether Iran posed a credible threat to Air Force One.
“Well, I have a threat all the time. I’m number one on their list before you,” Trump said.
He then told the journalists travelling with him: “But if I go, you go.”
The reported operation offers a glimpse into the extraordinary security precautions surrounding presidential travel at a time when tensions between the United States and Iran remain high. It also raises questions about how far authorities are willing to go to conceal the president's movements when intelligence agencies believe there may be a credible threat.