Trump hidden in catering truck in secret plane swap over Iran threat, reports say

What the report says

US media reports say Donald Trump was quietly moved from the old Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft during his departure from a NATO summit in Turkey last month, after officials detected what was described as a credible Iranian threat. According to the Washington Post, Trump first boarded the presidential jet in front of cameras at Ankara airport, but was later transferred out of view via an elevated catering truck to a C-32A military plane. The reports say some journalists and White House staff remained on the original aircraft and were not told the president had already left.

The account, relayed by the BBC and cited by Nile Post, says Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded separately and that the steps were taken to make the trip appear routine. The White House has not publicly confirmed the reported switch, though a communications director said the newer aircraft was equipped with security measures to protect the president and staff. Trump later spoke to reporters on board another flight and referred generally to threats from Iran, but did not address the alleged plane swap.

The reports come against a wider backdrop of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, including earlier warnings from US intelligence about possible threats to Trump or his aircraft. The incident is significant because it suggests that security concerns may have directly affected how the president traveled internationally and how the movement was handled for public view.