Trump secretly flew out of Turkey on smaller plane amid Iran threat

US President Donald Trump secretly flew out of Turkey last month on a smaller aircraft than previously disclosed, following an assassination threat from Iran, the Washington Post reported Monday.

Trump boarded the older Air Force One jet in Ankara in view of cameras, then was quietly shuttled to a smaller C-32A jet for the flight to Britain.

Why did Trump switch planes in Turkey?

US media reported that a threat from Iranian proxy forces prompted the switch. Though Trump boarded the older Boeing 747 in view of cameras, he was secretly moved through a catering container into a smaller C-32A jet, which then flew him to Britain while officials let observers believe he remained on the larger plane.

How did the secret plane swap unfold in Ankara?

Trump was in Ankara for a NATO summit and had publicly said he would take the older Boeing 747 so US military personnel at a British airbase could tour the new Qatari-gifted jet instead. Journalists on the older plane were told to keep their window blinds down, a precaution normally reserved for war zones, which added to suspicions of a security threat.

Video included in the Washington Post's report shows a catering truck lowering from the older Air Force One jet minutes after Trump walked up its stairs. The truck is then seen moving in the distance toward the smaller C-32A aircraft. After both planes landed in Britain, Trump was filmed descending the steps of the larger jet before walking to the newer, retrofitted Air Force One, though the Post said it was unclear exactly how he made that transfer.

What is the new Air Force One and why is its safety in question?

The newer plane was donated by Qatar's royal family last year after Trump complained about the condition of the two aging Boeing 747 jets that have served as Air Force One since 1990. It was rapidly retrofitted and flew Trump for the first time on July 1 to North Dakota, then took him on its first overseas trip to Turkey just days later.

The switch in Ankara renewed scrutiny of that jet, which the New York Times reported lacks some security features found on the older aircraft, including anti-missile defenses. That gap has fueled the reporting around why Trump avoided flying it directly out of Turkey and instead relied on the smaller, less conspicuous C-32A.

What has the White House said about the plane swap?

Asked about the Washington Post report, the White House defended the new plane's safety in a statement from Communications Director Steven Cheung. He said the new Air Force One carries state-of-the-art, high-level security protocols to protect the president and his staff, and that the administration uses every tool available given the threats Trump faces from America's enemies. The White House used the same statement last month when questions about the aircraft's safety first surfaced.