U.S. President Donald Trump secretly switched from the older Air Force One to a C-32A military aircraft while leaving Turkey last month, amid an Iranian threat, the Washington Post reported.
| Photo Credit:
KYLIE COOPER
Prompted by an Iranian
threat, U.S. President Donald Trump took a secret military
flight from Turkey last month when the White House said he was
aboard Air Force One, the Washington Post reported Monday.
Trump had taken the newly renovated Qatari-donated jet to
Ankara for the NATO summit but he unexpectedly used an older Air
Force One when departing the country, a move that prompted
questions about the newer plane’s security.
The trip to NATO was the first international travel for the
new plane and took place as hostilities escalated with Iran, a
country that borders Turkey.
After Trump boarded the old Air Force One in front of
cameras in Ankara, he was secretly shuttled by an airport
catering truck to a smaller plane, an Air Force C-32A, the Post
reported citing a U.S. official familiar with the operation and
another person familiar with the president’s travel.
The C-32A flew to Britain, arriving at around 10:20 p.m.
with the older Air Force One and media, arriving minutes later,
the Post reported.
Trump said on Truth Social that he would use an older baby
blue Air Force One plane “for old time’s sake” to fly from
Ankara to RAF Mildenhall in Britain while the new plane stopped
at the same base so U.S. service members stationed there could
tour the aircraft.
When asked for comment on the revelation of a secret flight
on a third plane, the White House provided a statement from
Communications Director Steve Cheung saying the Qatari-donated
jet has been fitted with high-level security protocols that
ensure the safety of the president and his staff.
“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,” Cheung said. It was
the same statement provided to the Post.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for
comment.
Published on August 11, 2026
