Trump secretly changes planes after Iranian threat
EL RIGOR · 12 de agosto de 2026, 07:45 · 2 min read
Cross-checked in sources from Europe, India, Pakistan, Turkey and Africa
US President Donald Trump left Turkey in secret following the NATO summit held in Ankara on July 8. According to the Washington Post, Trump initially boarded an Air Force One plane in view of television cameras but was then transported to a smaller military aircraft via a catering truck. The truck was raised to the level of the aircraft to allow Trump to board a C-32A, a modified Boeing 757 commonly used by the vice president.
Why it matters
This incident reflects the growing tension between the US and Iran and how it directly impacts the president's security. For a reader in Spain and around the world, this event illustrates how international threats can have immediate and tangible consequences in the highest echelons of political life.
The fact
President Donald Trump left Turkey in secret after the NATO summit held in Ankara on July 8. According to the Washington Post, Trump initially boarded an Air Force One plane in view of television cameras but was then transported to a smaller military aircraft via a catering truck.
Trump had arrived in Turkey on a new Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar, but announced he would return on the older Air Force One "out of nostalgia." However, the covert operation involved Trump leaving the main aircraft and transferring to a smaller one to avoid an Iranian missile threat. The threat was detected by US intelligence, which identified a person near the NATO summit with a shoulder-launched missile.
The media and some White House staff were led to believe that Trump was still on the main aircraft. Journalists were instructed to keep the window blinds down during take-off, a measure typically reserved for conflict zones. Trump flew to the UK before returning to the US, where he re-boarded the older Air Force One and eventually the new aircraft donated by Qatar.
What each side says
According to the Washington Post, the operation was carried out due to an Iranian threat detected by US intelligence. President Trump, in subsequent statements, acknowledged that there was a threat but did not provide further details.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also commented on the incident.
What we don't know
There is no record of whether the White House made any public announcement about the change of aircraft or if there was an official statement regarding the reason for the change. Additionally, specific details about how the Iranian threat was detected and the additional measures taken to ensure the president's safety during the flight have not been provided.
Piece prepared by the newsroom from cross-checked sources in several countries.