Trump Smuggled from Turkey in Catering Vehicle Amid Assassination Threat
Air Force One Used as Decoy While President Traveled on Separate Aircraft to UK
Carla Rooney
Donald Trump was reportedly smuggled from Turkey in a catering vehicle to evade an alleged Iranian assassination threat.
Journalists aboard the C-32A received instructions to keep their window blinds down.
The original Air Force One, carrying reporters and staffers, served as a decoy; this maneuver reportedly aimed to evade an Iranian assassination threat, with US intelligence having received credible threats of an attempt to shoot down the President's plane.
Iranian officials had reportedly placed a bounty on Trump's head following the death of Ayatollah Khamenei. Pro-regime demonstrators have flown banners depicting a bullseye over Trump's face.
A White House spokesperson stated, "As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats."
As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.
The use of a decoy aircraft mirrors a past incident in March 2000, when President Bill Clinton flew from India to Pakistan on an unmarked jet after a decoy.
In 2003, President George W Bush reportedly flew to Baghdad on Thanksgiving, not Texas as claimed.
Richard Blumenthal described the situation as "downright scary," and "unprecedented and it’s surreal."
Paul Eckloff, however, offered a contrasting view, stating, "I would not say unprecedented, but it is an unusual occurrence."
downright scary, unprecedented and it’s surreal.
The US has reportedly spent months retrofitting the $400m Boeing 747-8 to prepare it for the president. Older Air Force One planes possess laser technology to blind incoming missiles.
Upon landing at Mildenhall, photographers reportedly captured Mr Trump disembarking the primary presidential plane; the transfer was reportedly executed using a catering cart, with press and White House personnel kept unaware of the switch.
The president then transferred to the new Qatari-donated Air Force One to travel back to Washington. Donald Trump told reporters, "But if I go, you go."