United States President Donald Trump confirmed that he secretly swapped planes during the NATO summit in Turkiye on July 8, 2026, due to a potential assassination threat from Iran. Trump said he was instructed to board a "different flight, different plane" and complied, adding, "I just have to do what they say."

He further stated, "I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk because that would be the plane I think that they would be more likely to go for."

The switch involved Trump being moved between aircraft in a catering truck and onto a military plane in Ankara, according to US media reports. Meanwhile, the official Air Force One plane continued to carry journalists and top aides who were unaware that the president had left and thus remained at apparent risk of an Iranian strike.

The White House did not publicly disclose the swap at the time, and the cover remained until The Washington Post revealed the story this week.

Additional context from the period includes Trump commenting on other issues such as FIFA leadership and a lawsuit over birthright citizenship, but these are separate from the plane swap incident.

Sources