By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk
U.S. President Donald Trump was secretly moved from a presidential aircraft in Ankara to a smaller military jet after last month's NATO summit, using an airport catering truck to conceal the transfer as U.S. security officials responded to what was described as a credible Iranian assassination threat.
The July 8 operation was more elaborate than the aircraft change disclosed at the time. Trump had arrived in Türkiye aboard the newly renovated Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar and publicly announced that he would leave Ankara aboard the older blue-and-white presidential aircraft, which he then boarded in full view of television cameras.
Minutes later, according to an investigation by The Washington Post, Trump and several aides crossed to the opposite side of the aircraft and entered the elevated container of a catering truck positioned against another door. The vehicle was lowered and driven to a nearby U.S. Air Force C-32A, a modified Boeing 757 used to transport senior government officials, which carried the president to Britain.
The legacy presidential aircraft continued toward RAF Mildenhall with members of the White House press corps and some administration staff aboard, several of whom did not know Trump had been transferred to another plane. Journalists were instructed to keep their window shades closed during the flight.
The C-32A carried Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Britain under the low-profile call sign "Reach 18," while the larger presidential aircraft continued with reporters and staff aboard and later displayed the "AF1" call sign. The smaller aircraft carrying Trump arrived at RAF Mildenhall several minutes earlier.
Trump had been in Ankara for the July 7-8 NATO summit, where the Iran war and freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz formed part of the wider security agenda.
The Iran-linked threat itself had been reported in July. What was not known was that Trump had been covertly moved to a third aircraft while the plane he publicly boarded continued separately.
The White House did not deny the account when asked about the operation. Communications Director Steven Cheung said the administration uses every available tool to deal with threats against the president, while the Pentagon declined to provide details.
Sources: The Washington Post, Reuters, NATO, Anadolu Agency, Bosphorus News review and reporting.