President Donald Trump boarded a smaller U.S. military aircraft using an airport catering truck as cover to leave the NATO summit in Turkey in July. This maneuver was reportedly executed amid a credible threat from Iran against the president's movements. According to The Washington Post, Trump arrived in Turkey on July 8 aboard a new Boeing 747-8, donated by Qatar. Following U.S. military actions against Iranian targets, intelligence officials identified a specific threat to Trump.
To mitigate the threat, U.S. security officials devised a plan at Ankara airport. Trump was seen boarding the older Air Force One, a Boeing 747, before he and a small group of aides exited through a catering truck that had been positioned at the back of the aircraft. The truck transported them to a nearby Air Force C-32A, a modified Boeing 757.
Meanwhile, the media and White House staff believed Trump was still on the older 747, which took off as a decoy. Flight-tracking data indicated that the legacy jet appeared on radar without a call sign before adopting the 'AF1' call sign mid-flight, despite Trump not being aboard. Trump arrived in England on the C-32A shortly before the decoy jet.
After landing, Trump transferred to the new Boeing 747-8 for the return flight to Washington. When asked about the window shades being ordered down during the flight, Trump stated that he faces constant threats and is a target for Iran. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung commented on the security measures in place for the new Air Force One, emphasizing its advanced safety protocols.