Trump Confirms Plane Switch After NATO Summit Due to Security Threat

Updated by Faith Barbara N Ruhinda at 1147 EAT on Wednesday 12 August 2026

Trump Confirms Secret Plane Switch After NATO Summit Over Possible Iranian Threat

US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he secretly switched planes after last month’s NATO summit in Turkey following instructions from the US Secret Service and military officials.

“I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go on a different flight, different plane,” Trump told reporters. “I just have to do what they say.”

Trump’s comments came after reports revealed that he publicly boarded Air Force One on July 8 before being secretly transferred to a different US military aircraft.

The unusual operation reportedly involved moving Trump from Air Force One in an airport catering vehicle before taking him to a smaller military aircraft. The original Air Force One then continued its journey with journalists and members of Trump’s team aboard.

Reported Iranian threat

The plane switch was reportedly prompted by security concerns linked to Iran.

US officials cited by American media said intelligence agencies had detected what was considered a credible threat involving a possible Iranian attack on the aircraft carrying Trump.

The Washington Post reported that the security operation was linked to an Iranian threat against the president, while other reports said US intelligence had information about a person near the NATO summit who had allegedly been seen with a shoulder-fired missile.

The details of the intelligence have not been publicly released, and the reported threat has not been independently verified.

Trump said he did not question the decision by the Secret Service and military officials and instead followed their instructions.

Air Force One used as a decoy

The secrecy of the operation meant that journalists travelling with Trump and some members of his staff initially believed he was still aboard Air Force One.

The aircraft eventually left Turkey without Trump, effectively serving as a decoy while the president travelled on another plane.

The development has raised questions about whether those who remained aboard the original aircraft were exposed to the same potential threat.

Trump, however, suggested that the replacement aircraft may have faced an even greater risk because an attacker would have been more likely to target the aircraft carrying him.

“It would be the plane, I think, that they would be more likely to go for,” Trump said.

Unusual security operation

The operation was kept out of public view until reports emerged about the secret flight.

Footage and subsequent reporting showed the unusual use of an airport catering vehicle to move Trump between aircraft, allowing the president to leave without drawing attention to the change in his travel arrangements.

The incident has drawn international attention because of the elaborate measures used to conceal Trump’s movements and the fact that journalists and other officials aboard the original aircraft were reportedly unaware of the change.

Trump has defended the decision, saying he followed the advice of the security personnel responsible for protecting him.

The episode comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran and renewed concerns about threats to senior US officials and American interests in the region.