Trump’s secret flight saw the US president moved in a catering truck and put on another plane after a reported Iran threat.
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump was secretly driven across Ankara airport in a catering truck and moved onto another plane after officials became concerned about a reported threat from Iran.
The Trump secret flight happened after Trump attended the NATO Summit in Ankara in July. Reports said US officials had received information about a possible threat and were worried that the president’s plane could be targeted as he left Turkey.
Trump first boarded Air Force One in front of television cameras. To everyone watching, it looked like he was about to fly out of Ankara on the presidential plane.
But that was not what happened.
Trump was reportedly taken off the aircraft away from public view and driven across the airport in a catering truck. He was then put on a smaller US Air Force C-32A for the flight out of Turkey.
Meanwhile, the larger Air Force One continued with journalists on board. Some reporters and White House staff reportedly believed Trump was still travelling with them.
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Journalists on the plane were also told to keep their window shades closed.
Trump later confirmed that there were security concerns around the journey and said he followed advice from the Secret Service and military.
The unusual Trump secret flight was designed to keep people from knowing exactly which aircraft was carrying the president.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the president had enemies and that officials used the tools available to deal with threats against him.
The story has also raised interest because Trump used different aircraft during his journey. The Boeing 747-8 provided by Qatar was used during another part of his trip back to the United States.
Using a catering truck made the operation even more unusual. Such vehicles are common sights around airports and would have offered a discreet way of moving the president without attracting the same attention as an official motorcade.
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Similar tricks have been used before to protect US presidents during sensitive overseas trips. Bill Clinton travelled on an unmarked executive jet during a visit to Pakistan in 2000 while another aircraft was used as a decoy.
Switching planes and hiding travel movements can make it harder for anyone posing a threat to know exactly where a president is.
The details now emerging show just how far security teams can go when they believe a president could be in danger while travelling abroad.
Impact to expect
The story could put more attention on how US presidents are protected overseas, especially when officials believe there is a serious security threat.
