U.S. President Donald Trump was secretly moved to a smaller military aircraft while departing Turkey following an alleged Iranian missile threat that U.S. intelligence officials now believe may have been based on unreliable information, according to multiple media reports.
The account, reported by NDTV on Thursday citing The Washington Post, NPR, and The Associated Press, says the warning originated from Israel, which alerted the U.S. Secret Service after last month’s NATO summit in Turkey that Trump’s Air Force One could be targeted by an Iranian missile attack.
According to the reports, although the CIA was unable to verify the intelligence, the U.S. Secret Service took precautionary measures and quietly transferred Trump from the airport via a catering truck to a smaller military aircraft to minimize any potential security risk.
The Washington Post, which first reported the use of the decoy aircraft, said Trump later confirmed that he had followed the instructions of the Secret Service during the operation.
However, the credibility of the Israeli warning reportedly became a matter of debate within the U.S. intelligence community. Officials said the alert was based on a single-source intelligence report that lacked corroborating evidence, prompting doubts about its reliability.
Turkish security agencies also investigated the alleged threat but reportedly found no concrete evidence of a plot to assassinate Trump during his visit to Ankara. The findings have raised questions over whether unverified intelligence influenced U.S. security decisions and the extent of Israeli influence on Washington’s assessment of the threat.
Notably, while Trump was transferred to the smaller aircraft, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained aboard the original Air Force One. Although Rubio was reportedly aware of the aircraft switch, it remains unclear why he stayed on the presidential plane.
The reports said the Secret Service opted for the extraordinary security measure in light of previous assassination attempts against Trump, placing his personal safety above all other considerations.
According to the reports, Trump had arrived in Ankara aboard a new aircraft gifted by Qatar. To mislead journalists and military personnel, officials reportedly suggested that the new aircraft would depart first. Instead, Trump was discreetly escorted aboard the smaller military plane using a catering vehicle, while reporters and other officials believed he remained on the original presidential aircraft, which departed for Washington.
Source: NDTV, citing The Washington Post, NPR and The Associated Press.