US President Donald Trump was secretly moved out of Turkey aboard a military aircraft after a security threat linked to Iran emerged during last month’s NATO summit, according to two senior US officials.
The officials said Trump was transported to the military jet in an airport catering container as part of an elaborate security operation designed to conceal his departure from Turkey.
The covert evacuation came after Trump and other administration officials publicly said he would leave Turkey on July 8 aboard an older version of Air Force One, rather than the newer Boeing 747-8 that he had used to arrive in the country.
Trump had described the switch at the time as being for “old time’s sake.”
The president was seen boarding the older aircraft through its left-side door, with cameras and news organisations present. Reports at the time said he travelled on the aircraft to Britain, where he later switched back to the newer plane.
The decision to avoid the newer aircraft was partly attributed to security concerns. The plane, donated by Qatar, had not yet been equipped with all the defensive capabilities available on older versions of Air Force One.
The disclosure comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and growing concerns over the security of senior US officials following escalating threats linked to Iran.
Boluwatife Enome
