- US President Donald Trump switched planes in Turkey due to a credible Iranian proxy threat
- The Boeing 747-8 lacked advanced defensive systems found on the older Air Force One
- Secret Service advised the aircraft change amid heightened security concerns in Ankara
US President Donald Trump reportedly switched aircraft while leaving Turkey earlier this month after US officials received what they believed was a credible threat from Iranian proxy forces targeting him.
According to The New York Times, the threat surfaced while Trump was attending the NATO summit in Ankara. He had arrived aboard the new Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8 but was later advised by the Secret Service to leave on the older Air Force One instead.
Secret Service Stepped In
Officials familiar with the matter told the publication that once the US government picked up intelligence about the threat, the Secret Service urged the president to change planes.
The report says the threat was aimed at Trump himself and whichever aircraft he was travelling in, not specifically the newly donated Boeing 747-8.
While the White House initially described the aircraft swap as a routine decision, officials now say it was driven by security concerns linked to Iran.
At the time, Trump publicly claimed he was changing planes so US service members stationed in Britain could tour the newer aircraft. He dismissed suggestions that the decision was related to security.
Questions Over The New Aircraft
The reported threat has also renewed scrutiny of the Qatari-donated Boeing 747-8, which lacks some of the advanced defensive systems fitted on the older Air Force One.
Trump himself appeared to acknowledge that during a recent interaction with reporters. When asked about the aircraft lacking anti-missile defences, he said it would soon be "maxed out".
The roughly 14-year-old aircraft underwent a rapid and expensive retrofit before entering presidential service. The White House has since announced it will be taken out of service for about a month later this year for additional upgrades.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "The new Air Force One is perfectly safe for the president's travels, but will receive additional upgrades and enhancements in the fall which will take approximately one month to complete. During that time, the president will fly on the old Air Force One."
Separate From Israeli Intelligence
The report also says the Turkey threat was different from separate intelligence allegedly shared by Israel about Iranian plots targeting Trump.
Some US officials reportedly viewed the Israeli intelligence with scepticism, believing it may have been intended to encourage a stronger US military response against Iran.
At the time of Trump's Turkey visit, the United States had resumed strikes against Iran, adding to already heightened tensions.
Speaking about threats against him during the summit, Trump said, "They want to take out the US leader – me. I'm on every list. I saw this morning I'm on every single one of their lists. And so far, I guess I've been a little bit lucky, but that maybe doesn't last very long."
Threat Level 'Off The Charts'
The concerns come as the Secret Service says threats against senior American leaders have reached unprecedented levels.
Speaking before the rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner, Secret Service Director Sean Curran said, "The numbers at this agency, and certainly I've never seen in my 24-year career, they're off the charts."
He added, "I think the environment has become very volatile and that's just across the board. I think not just to our protectees, but local officials. The threat picture and environment is as large as I've ever seen it."
Curran previously led Trump's protective detail and was among the agents who shielded him during the assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024.
