Trump hid in catering cart in secret Turkey escape over alleged Iran threat

US President Donald Trump was secretly moved off Air Force One in an airport catering truck before leaving Turkey aboard a smaller military plane last month, part of an elaborate security ruse prompted by an alleged Iranian threat to assassinate him or attack his aircraft.

Trump had boarded the presidential Boeing 747 in full view of television cameras after attending a NATO summit in Ankara on 8 July, appearing to begin his journey to Britain aboard Air Force One.

But minutes later, he and several aides were concealed inside a catering truck of the kind normally used to load meals and supplies onto aircraft and driven across the airport to an Air Force C-32A, according to The Washington Post.

The smaller aircraft then secretly flew Trump to RAF Mildenhall in Britain, while the Boeing 747 departed Ankara separately carrying journalists and White House staff who believed the president was travelling with them.

The deceptive operation was reportedly triggered by intelligence pointing to an alleged Iranian threat against Trump or his aircraft, the Post reported.

Trump’s real location was concealed not only from journalists but also from some White House staff and senior officials, who reportedly believed for hours that he was aboard the presidential plane.

Reporters travelling on the decoy aircraft were instructed to keep their window shades closed before departure.

When they later asked Trump why, he told them they had been “probably on a dangerous flight”.

“But if I go, you go,” Trump added.

The operation took place a day after US forces renewed strikes on Iran on Trump’s orders following the collapse of negotiations aimed at ending the months-long war between Washington and Tehran.

The New York Times and CBS News had reported last month that US intelligence agencies had reportedly detected a specific threat of an attack against Trump or his aircraft, prompting heightened security precautions.

The episode initially raised questions over whether the new Boeing 747-8 gifted to the United States by Qatar and converted for presidential use was sufficiently secure.

Trump had flown to Turkey aboard the Qatari-gifted aircraft on its first international presidential trip, but announced before leaving Ankara that he would travel to Britain aboard the older Air Force One “for old time’s sake”.

The White House said at the time that the new aircraft would fly separately to RAF Mildenhall so US service members stationed there could tour it.

But Trump was not aboard either of the two Boeing 747s during the first leg of his journey.

After boarding the older Air Force One in front of cameras, Trump was moved into a catering truck positioned at a door on the opposite side of the aircraft, away from view. The truck was then lowered and transported him and several aides to the waiting C-32A.

Flight-tracking data and other material reviewed by the Post showed that the Qatari-gifted aircraft departed Ankara first for Britain using the call sign “SAM 33”.

The older Air Force One, carrying journalists and White House staff but not Trump, later used the presidential call sign “AF1” during the flight.

Trump’s C-32A, meanwhile, flew under the call sign “RCH18”, or “Reach 18”, which is generally used for military transport missions. Systems that would have allowed the aircraft to be publicly tracked were switched off, according to the report.

The three aircraft arrived at RAF Mildenhall within minutes of one another.

Trump was subsequently seen descending the stairs of the older Air Force One, indicating that he had been quietly transferred back onto the aircraft after arriving in Britain.

He then greeted US service members before boarding the Qatari-gifted presidential jet for the final leg of his journey to Washington.

The White House had publicly maintained that Trump left Turkey aboard the older Air Force One, while his actual whereabouts remained secret during the operation.

Asked about the revelations, White House communications director Steven Cheung did not directly address the deception but defended the security of the Qatari-gifted aircraft.

Cheung said the plane had been fitted with “high-level security protocols” and added that the United States had “many enemies” targeting Trump.

“We use every tool at our disposal to address those threats,” he said.

Using a presidential aircraft as a decoy is not unprecedented. Bill Clinton employed a similar tactic during a visit to Pakistan in 2000, travelling aboard an unmarked executive jet while another aircraft served as a decoy.

Agencies contributed to this report.