President Trump Uses Secret Flight from NATO Summit, Escaping Security Threat

On a covert operation last month, President Trump took a different plane from the publicized Air Force One while returning from the NATO summit. Sources say Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were on a decoy flight.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accompanied Trump on the secret plane departing from Turkey. White House aides Natalie Harp, Walt Nauta, and Dan Scavino were also on board with the president. Informed of the switch, Rubio and Bessent ensured they maintained the line of succession.

The plane carrying President Trump was not labeled as Air Force One, contrary to usual protocol. Instead, the decoy flight bore this designation. The deception aimed to protect against a security threat, according to information from the White House and CBS News reports.

On July 8, 2026, President Trump, departing Ankara, opted for the older Air Force One instead of a newer Qatari-donated model. Officially, Trump stated the switch was for nostalgic reasons and to allow U.S. forces in the U.K. to review the new plane. However, the military and Secret Service prompted the change due to security concerns, using a catering truck to discreetly move Trump between aircraft.

“Any consequential president has a lot of threats,” Trump explained, acknowledging the common dangers faced by leaders.

During this maneuver, video footage captured Trump boarding the old Air Force One with a catering truck stationed nearby. Subsequently, the truck transported him to a U.S. government aircraft recognized as an Air Force C-32A by The Washington Post, which first uncovered the secretive flight.

The media believed they traveled with the president. Shades in the Air Force One press cabin remained closed in Ankara to maintain secrecy. Reporters queried the necessity, and Trump later remarked they were “probably on a dangerous flight.” After reaching the U.K., Trump transitioned to the new Air Force One, a donation receiving considerable upgrades by the U.S. Air Force.

Once airborne across the Atlantic, President Trump communicated with reporters onboard. The new Air Force One, said the White House, was undergoing significant security enhancements.