President Donald Trump revealed on Tuesday that his covert departure from Turkey last month, involving a decoy Air Force One filled with passengers, was orchestrated by the Secret Service and the U.S. military. Trump emphasized that the decision to switch planes was solely at the discretion of the Secret Service. He stated, “It’s only up to Secret Service. I just follow what they’d like to do,” during a press briefing at Joint Base Andrews following a visit to Ohio.
Trump further explained that the Secret Service and the military advised him to board a different flight for security reasons, ensuring equal safety. This led to the discreet transition from Air Force One to another aircraft, as reported by The Washington Post. The transfer was executed via a catering container, unbeknownst to many onboard the decoy flight, including some White House officials.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were aboard the decoy Air Force One, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled on the accompanying plane with the president. Despite the secretive nature of the switch, all three Cabinet members were aware of the situation due to security concerns.
When questioned about the specific threat prompting the switch, Trump downplayed it, mentioning that he receives numerous threats and didn’t delve into the details. He also expressed his belief that the plane he eventually flew on was at higher risk compared to the decoy aircraft, citing potential targeting considerations.
Initially, Trump had publicly announced his intention to fly on the old Air Force One, sending the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One to a U.K. base for service members’ inspection. This decision was made amid escalating tensions with Iran, and ABC News advised against his usage of the plane due to security worries.
During the flight believed to carry Trump, reporters were instructed to keep the windows shut throughout the journey, following a mandate from the Secret Service. Despite the absence of the president, Air Force One had its transponder turned off for security purposes.
In response to The Washington Post’s coverage, the White House emphasized the continuous vigilance against threats to the President. They stated, “As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”
