President Trump secretly swapped planes during return from NATO summit to evade a potential Iranian assassination plot.

President Trump secretly swapped planes during the return from a NATO summit in Turkey to evade a potential Iranian assassination plot. While the public and many journalists were led to believe he remained on the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One, the administration announced that he was actually moved to a smaller military jet via a catering truck to ensure maximum security. This clandestine maneuver was prompted by intelligence reports of a credible Iranian threat to fire a missile at the aircraft. To maintain the secrecy of the ruse, White House staff and reporters were instructed to close their window shades. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded the military jet separately to make the flight appear normal. President Trump acknowledged the transfer late Tuesday, stating he followed the Secret Service's guidance to ensure safety. While the new luxury jet is considered state-of-the-art, the administration noted that it will receive further security upgrades in the coming months.

Sources

• American Crisis | Margaret Sullivan
  Journalists as Trump's 'human shields' should be the WHCA's last straw
• The Washington Post
  They were on the plane when Trump secretly left. Here’s what they noticed.
• The Atlantic
  The Flawed Logic of Trump’s Airplane Escape
• The New York Times
  Even Some Cabinet Members Didn’t Join Trump’s Secret Flight. Here’s Who Did.
• BBC
  Trump hid in catering truck in secret plane swap over Iran threat, reports say