US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he secretly changed aircraft during a recent trip after security officials warned of a possible threat to his life, a revelation that has generated confusion and criticism following a report by The Washington Post.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Trump said officials advised him to travel on a different plane for security reasons.
According to him, he complied with the recommendation, adding that he was informed there was a threat but did not seek many details.
The Washington Post reported that the operation took place while Trump’s aircraft was on the ground in Turkey on July 8. The report said he quietly left Air Force One before departure and boarded a smaller US Air Force aircraft, while journalists and some senior aides remained on the presidential jet.
Several members of the travelling media later expressed frustration, saying they had unknowingly remained on the aircraft despite the reported threat and had received no explanation from the White House.
Trump had initially boarded Air Force One in full public view, but the newspaper said he later exited the aircraft covertly and transferred to another plane positioned nearby.
The president told reporters that he believed the aircraft he eventually used might have faced greater danger because it would have been the more likely target.
About a dozen journalists travelling in a separate section of Air Force One were reportedly unaware that Trump had switched planes and departed Turkey on the original aircraft.
Trump dismissed concerns about the incident, saying that presidents routinely face threats and that he was not particularly worried.
The Wall Street Journal later reported that Israel had briefed US officials about a possible shoulder-fired missile threat against Air Force One. The report added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials remained on the aircraft.
Pool reporters on board also noted an unusual instruction from the Secret Service directing passengers to lower window shades during takeoff.
On Tuesday, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called for Congress to receive a briefing on the alleged Iranian threats and the extraordinary security measures reportedly taken to remove the president from Turkey.
The episode drew additional attention because Trump had travelled to the NATO summit on a luxury Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar and modified for presidential transport. Reports said the aircraft lacked full anti-missile protection systems, prompting the use of the older Air Force One.
Trump had previously said the Qatar-gifted plane was being sent ahead for US troops in Britain to tour. During a stop in Britain, he reportedly returned to that aircraft for the flight back to Washington.
The incident has been compared with earlier presidential security operations, including Bill Clinton’s 2000 trip to Pakistan, when a decoy aircraft was used, and Joe Biden’s 2023 visit to Ukraine, which was conducted under strict secrecy.
