United States President Donald Trump was reportedly moved out of Turkey under extraordinary security measures after US officials received intelligence about a potential Iranian assassination threat against him.
Trump was returning from a NATO summit in Turkey when security officials reportedly implemented a covert plan involving a decoy presidential aircraft and a smaller US military plane.
According to reports by The New York Times and The Washington Post, the operation was designed to conceal the president’s actual movements from anyone potentially monitoring his departure.
Trump had travelled to Turkey aboard a Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar and subsequently modified by the US government with enhanced security features.
As the summit concluded, Trump publicly announced that he would not return aboard the newly outfitted aircraft. Instead, he said he would use an older presidential aircraft for “old time’s sake.”
The president was subsequently seen boarding the older aircraft in Ankara, which was scheduled to travel to a US military base in the United Kingdom.
However, reports citing officials familiar with the security operation said Trump’s public departure was part of a carefully planned diversion.
Trump was reportedly moved through a food cart connected to the aircraft before being transported in an airport catering vehicle of the type normally used to load meals and supplies onto presidential aircraft.
He was then transferred away from the aircraft and secretly boarded a smaller US Air Force C-32A.
The operation reportedly concealed Trump’s actual whereabouts from journalists and even some White House personnel travelling aboard the decoy presidential aircraft.
The C-32A carrying Trump subsequently departed Ankara for RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom.
According to the reports, Trump’s aircraft arrived at the military base approximately nine minutes before the plane carrying journalists and White House staff.
The unusual security operation reportedly followed intelligence concerning a specific potential threat against the US president.
The Wall Street Journal separately reported that Israel had provided the United States with intelligence concerning a possible Iranian assassination plot targeting Trump.
The reported threat prompted security officials to take additional precautions surrounding the president’s movements and return journey.
Responding to questions surrounding the reports, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung stressed that the new presidential aircraft was equipped with extensive security measures.
“The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff,” Cheung said.
He added that US authorities would continue using available security measures to protect the president against potential threats.
“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.”
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