From Turkey to Britain in Secret: Trump Reveals Details of Alternative Aircraft

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that last month he secretly took an alternative aircraft in Turkey at the direction of the U.S. Secret Service, but added that the plane he ultimately flew on was actually more vulnerable than Air Force One.

U.S. media reported that after the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump was transferred from Air Force One to a military aircraft aboard a food transport truck in an unusual deception operation prompted by an Iranian threat to assassinate him.

The White House did not disclose this switch and kept it secret until The Washington Post first reported on it Monday. Some media commentators questioned whether this operation had put Trump's aides and journalists traveling with him at risk aboard the plane that was supposed to carry the president.

Trump told reporters Tuesday, "I actually believe the plane I boarded was more at risk... because it's the one I think they would have most likely targeted."

After a day of social media memes depicting Trump hiding inside a food truck, the president—concerned about his public image and often promoting digitally altered photos portraying him as bold and courageous—said he was following Secret Service directives, the agency responsible for protecting the president.

"It's up to the Secret Service alone," Trump said. "I'm just following what they want to do. If I follow the Secret Service and the military."

He added, "I believe there was a threat. I didn't ask too many questions. I receive a lot of threats."

At the time, the White House stated the president would travel from Turkey to the UK on Air Force One. But moments after Trump boarded the aircraft, he secretly exited via a food transport truck and boarded another plane bound for the UK, according to The Washington Post on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

On his way to Ankara to attend the NATO summit, Trump initially flew on a Qatar-provided Air Force One variant that had undergone modifications. However, it was suddenly announced he would depart the country on an older presidential aircraft—a move that raised questions about the safety of the new plane.

The trip to the NATO summit was the new aircraft’s first international flight, and its rapid upgrades sparked concerns over cost and security. The journey came amid escalating hostilities between Iran, which borders Turkey.