Kateryna Hirnyk08:06, 11.08.26

The secret mission was carried out without the knowledge of journalists and some White House staff, who believed they were on the same plane as the president.

US President Donald Trump left Turkey after a NATO summit last month in a carefully planned secret operation, rather than following protocol, to avoid an assassination attempt. Trump was hidden in an airport food truck and then secretly flown onto a military plane, The Washington Post has learned .

Trump arrived in Turkey on a 747-8 provided by Qatar. However, after the NATO summit, he announced that he would use the “former Air Force One” rather than the Qatari plane, citing security concerns.

In Ankara, Trump boarded an old Air Force One in front of television cameras. But minutes later, he was secretly transferred to a smaller plane, a U.S. Air Force C-32A, using an airport catering truck used to deliver food and supplies before flights.

“To leave the plane unnoticed by those not involved in the operation, Trump and several aides climbed aboard a catering truck, which was hydraulically lifted onto the side of the plane and positioned near the door on the opposite side from the entrance to Air Force One,” the article says.

According to WP sources, the secret mission was carried out without the knowledge of journalists and some White House staff, who believed they were on the same plane as the president.

The decision to carry out such an operation was reportedly driven by concerns about a possible Iranian attack on the president or his plane. Turkey, where the NATO summit was taking place, borders Iran, which further influenced the risk assessment.

This is not the first time that route masking has been used to protect American presidents.

For example, in March 2000, President Bill Clinton, during a visit to Pakistan, got out of a regular white plane, and the main “Air Force One” was used to mislead observers.

A U.S. official, who declined to elaborate, said that over the past 30 years, Air Force One has been used as a decoy for the president because of a serious threat or because he was flying to a dangerous location. The plane is highly protected but highly visible, so transporting the president on another plane may be considered safer.

(c)UNIAN 2026