Trump Confirms Secret Aircraft Switch Over Iran Threat

United States President Donald Trump has confirmed that he was secretly moved from Air Force One to another military aircraft during his return from Turkey last month after security agencies raised concerns about a possible Iranian threat.

Trump told reporters that the decision was made by the U.S. Secret Service and the military, saying he simply followed their instructions.

“I go by the Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane. I just have to do what they say,” he said.

“I guess there was a threat out there. I didn’t really ask too much about it. Any consequential president has a lot of threats. I don’t worry about anything, to be honest. Whatever it is, you know my attitude, ‘Whatever.’”

Trump’s admission followed U.S. media reports that he was quietly transferred from the ageing presidential aircraft, commonly known as Air Force One, to an Air Force C-32A during his journey from Ankara.

According to The Washington Post, Trump was initially seen boarding Air Force One in full view of journalists and television cameras before being moved to the smaller military aircraft.

The unusual security operation reportedly took place a day after the United States began its 13th consecutive day of military strikes on Iran.

During the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump had also said he believed he was Iran’s “number one target.”

Concerns over threats against Trump have remained a major security issue for U.S. authorities, particularly following Iran’s previous threats of retaliation over the killing of its supreme leader and predecessor, Ali Khamenei, in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike in February.

Trump had arrived in Turkey aboard a Boeing 747-8 aircraft donated by Qatar in 2025. Security arrangements surrounding the aircraft had come under scrutiny, although Trump said it would undergo additional upgrades.

Before leaving Ankara on July 8, Trump announced that he would return to Washington aboard the older Air Force One rather than the newer Qatari-provided aircraft on which he had arrived.

Press footage showed Trump boarding the presidential aircraft, with a catering truck positioned beside it. The truck later pulled away and reportedly headed towards another military aircraft.

The Washington Post reported that Trump subsequently travelled from Ankara to a refuelling stop in the United Kingdom aboard the C-32A, without the knowledge of many journalists and White House officials travelling with him.

Those who remained aboard Air Force One reportedly believed Trump was still on the aircraft.

According to the BBC, journalists and some White House officials were instructed to keep their window shades closed during the flight, an unusual measure that later drew attention to the security operation.

Asked why the shades had to remain down, Trump said: “Because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags we have to deal with.”

Trump was later seen disembarking from the older Air Force One at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, suggesting that he had reboarded the presidential aircraft during the stopover.

It remains unclear how the transfer from the C-32A back to Air Force One was carried out.

Trump was subsequently transferred again to the newer Qatari-donated aircraft for the final leg of his journey to Washington.

During that flight, he spoke generally about concerns over Iranian threats but did not reveal that he had earlier been moved to another aircraft.