Assassination Threat Forced Trump into Secret Flight

US President Donald Trump secretly switched planes before leaving Turkey last month, despite the White House saying he was traveling aboard Air Force One. According to the Washington Post, the extraordinary security measure followed a credible threat of an assassination attempt.

Trump had arrived at the NATO summit in Ankara aboard a newly refurbished aircraft donated to the United States by Qatar. Before his departure, however, he boarded an older presidential aircraft in front of the cameras.

According to a US official quoted by the newspaper, Trump was then secretly transported in an airport service vehicle to a smaller C-32A military aircraft. The older presidential plane, carrying journalists, served as a decoy.

Reporters on board were instructed to keep the window shades closed during the flight. Even some White House staff reportedly believed the president was traveling with them.

Trump’s C-32A landed in Britain at around 10:20 p.m. The second aircraft arrived a few minutes later. It remains unclear how the president subsequently returned to the United States.

The White House said Trump faces multiple threats and that it is using all available measures to ensure his safety.

(Reuters, bak)