Members of Trump's cabinet remained on decoy plane, after president's quiet exit

What the report says

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were among the officials who stayed aboard a decoy aircraft during President Donald Trump’s travel in Turkey, according to Nile Post’s report based on CBS News and other outlets. The flight initially appeared to be Air Force One, but Trump later left it quietly and transferred to another aircraft over security concerns tied to Iran.

The reported episode took place on 8 July in Ankara, where Trump had boarded the first plane with cabinet members and journalists before shifting to a separate military flight. Nile Post reported that Rubio and Bessent remained on the original aircraft, apparently to preserve the constitutional line of succession if an emergency had occurred. Other staff members, including White House aides, also stayed behind, while the second plane carried Trump and additional officials.

Trump said the switch was arranged by the military and the Secret Service because of threats, but he did not provide details. Media reports cited concerns about a possible shoulder-fired missile and possible knowledge of Trump’s location. The report also noted that the press corps did not know they had been on a decoy flight.

The case highlights the kind of covert security measures sometimes used on high-risk presidential trips abroad. It also raised questions about how much advance warning journalists and officials should receive when such precautions are taken.