Media: Trump secretly switched planes in Ankara over assassination threat

US intelligence services secretly transferred Donald Trump to another aircraft following the NATO summit in Ankara due to potential assassination threats from pro-Iranian groups.

According to APA, citing The Washington Post, Trump initially boarded the standard Air Force One in front of media cameras. However, minutes later, he was covertly transferred to a smaller C-32A military aircraft using a catering and supply truck at the airport.

The newspaper reported that Trump and US War Secretary Pete Hegseth flew to the UK aboard this plane with its transponders turned off, operating under the military callsign "Reach 18." Upon arriving at RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, Trump transferred back to his main aircraft before appearing in front of journalists.

The US administration initially stated that no changes occurred during the flight. The report notes that intelligence regarding potential assassination risks from Iran likely prompted the covert operation.

The 36th NATO Summit of heads of state and government took place on July 7–8, 2026, in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

N.Tebrizli

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