US staged Air Force One departure to hide Trump's secret exit from Turkey
According to a report by the Washington Post, President Donald Trump left Turkey on a smaller plane than previously thought because of an assassination threat from Iran. On July 8, he initially boarded Air Force One in Ankara but switched to a catering container linked to the jet, which then transported him to a C-32A for his flight to Britain. Some media and officials were led to believe he stayed on the larger aircraft. The Iranian threat was the reason Trump chose not to depart on the new Boeing 747-8, a gift from Qatar. While attending a NATO summit, he mentioned using the older 747 to let US military personnel at a British base see the new plane, but reports indicated the change was due to security concerns from Iranian proxies.
Key facts
- Trump secretly flew out of Turkey on a smaller plane due to an Iranian assassination threat.
- The secret exit was staged by moving Trump into a catering container attached to Air Force One.
- The container ferried him to a C-32A aircraft that flew him to Britain.
- Media and some officials were misled into thinking Trump was still on the bigger jet.
- The threat was previously reported as the reason Trump did not use the new Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar.
- Trump was in Ankara for a Nato summit.
- Trump publicly said he took the older Boeing 747 so military members in Britain could tour the new plane.
- The New York Times and other outlets reported the threat from Iranian proxy forces.
Entities
Institutions
- The Washington Post
- The New York Times
- Nato
- United States Air Force
Locations
- Turkey
- Ankara
- Britain
- Qatar