President Donald Trump reportedly employed a covert operation to hide his flight from Turkey to the United Kingdom in July 2026 amid threats from Iran, according to a report by the Washington Post. The plan involved transferring Trump from the official Air Force One to a catering food truck and then onto a secret military plane. This maneuver was reportedly executed without the knowledge of the traveling press and some White House officials, while the White House publicly stated Trump was aboard the older Air Force One jet.

The president was seen boarding the aircraft on July 8, 2026, at Ankara Esenboga Airport in Turkey after attending the NATO Summit. However, after boarding, he was transferred to a catering cart typically used for loading food and beverages. Trump had publicly stated he would not be flying on the Qatari-gifted Air Force One jet because it was being sent to a UK base for service members to tour.

Despite the president not being on board, the Air Force One reportedly had its transponder turned off during the flight. When asked about the need to close window blinds on the plane, Trump acknowledged the flight was likely dangerous due to threats, saying, "Well, yeah, because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with."

In response to the report, the White House told ABC News, "As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats."

The NATO Summit, which Trump attended prior to the flight, occurred during a tense period for the 77-year-old transatlantic alliance, with the US President urging members to increase defense spending as Washington reduces its European presence.

Sources

Notable Quotes

"As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats."

When asked why window blinds were closed on the plane, Trump said, "Well, yeah, because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with."