President Donald Trump secretly flew out of Turkey last month on a smaller aircraft as part of an elaborate ruse prompted by an Iranian threat, according to news reports.
The security plan — first reported by the Washington Post, and later confirmed by the New York Times — involved the president deboarding Air Force One via an airport catering vehicle, then heading to the other plane and departing Turkey.
Trump had flown to Turkey on a new plane gifted by Qatar and meant to be used as Air Force One. But while he was on the trip, officials announced he would fly out on an older presidential plane, which CNN and others had previously reported was due to security concerns.
That, though, was apparently part of the ruse, The Post reported. After boarding the older aircraft, a moment caught on camera, Trump secretly got off via the catering vehicle and moved to a smaller Air Force C-32A, a US official told The Post. The Qatari-gifted plane, the older aircraft used as Air Force One, and the C-32A then all departed separately for the UK, The Post reported. Once there, Trump got on board the Qatari-gifted plane and flew home.
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