Trump secretly switched to different plane in Turkey amid Iran threat
Ahead of a flight from Turkey, President Trump secretly left Air Force One and was moved to another plane with the help of a catering truck, according to a source, as the U.S. grappled with a threat from Iran.
August 11, 2026 / 1:52 AM EDT / CBS News
Shortly before Air Force One took off from Turkey at the end of last month's NATO summit, President Trump secretly slipped away from the presidential jet and was whisked to another plane with the help of an airport catering truck, according to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the matter.
The ruse was employed because the U.S. had learned of a threat from Iran and its allied proxies. U.S. intelligence had detected a credible plot to fire a missile at the plane Mr. Trump was on as he left the Turkish capital of Ankara, CBS News reported exclusively.
The president had expressed awareness of the risks posed by the U.S.-Iran war, calling himself Iran's "number one target" during the NATO summit .
The Washington Post was first to report on the secret plane-switching.
Multiple Trump administration officials expressed frustration Monday night that highly classified tactics and procedures leaked into the public eye, potentially limiting future protective operations for U.S. presidents.