https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/430726
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-903588
Credible Iranian threat prompted Trump’s Air Force One swap in Turkey
A credible threat by Iranian proxies forced President Trump to swap aircraft in Turkey following security warnings
Upon gathering intelligence about the impending hazard, the Secret Service advised Trump to change aircraft for his departure. Shortly thereafter, the president made a public announcement confirming he would fly out using the older Boeing aircraft.
The newly disclosed intelligence explains the White House's rapid decision to substitute aircraft and highlights ongoing questions regarding the defense capabilities of the Qatari-donated plane, which Trump had pushed to put into operation swiftly. Sources indicated that the proxy forces were not focusing exclusively on the donated jet, but were instead targeting the president himself regardless of the plane he boarded.
The White House offered no formal statement regarding the report. However, a senior administration official referenced Trump's previous public comments on Iranian plot attempts and expressed full confidence in the measures implemented to safeguard the president and his staff.
Knowledge of the intelligence threat remained tightly held across government channels; some staff members were informed only that the swap served as a precautionary safeguard due to general concerns regarding Tehran. Key lawmakers in Congress were similarly not briefed on the specific details.
Trump initially attributed the aircraft switch to giving US service members deployed in the United Kingdom an opportunity to view the new plane.
When the plane swap occurred, reports indicated Israeli intelligence had warned American agencies about Iranian plot attempts against Trump.
Trump was in Ankara, approximately 1,000 miles from Tehran.
Iranian-aligned groups have sought to target Trump since his first term, following the 2020 US drone strike that eliminated top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani.
Since Trump returned from Turkey, White House representatives stated that the donated plane will be temporarily withdrawn from service for roughly a month this fall for additional retrofitting.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/430726 (above)
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-903588 (below)
Trump's Air Force One swap in Turkey caused by Iran-backed terrorist proxy threat
Some Trump administration officials reportedly received only partial briefing on the threat and were told that the change in aircraft was made out of precaution due to the general threat of Iran, according to the NYT. Some key members of Congress were also not fully briefed on details of the threat.
According to the report, the Iranian proxies intended to target the president and would have targeted any aircraft he boarded, rather than specifically targeting the new Air Force One.
The report comes following Trump's comments regarding pending security upgrades for the Qatari-gifted aircraft.
Trump says aircraft change was 'for old time's sake'
"It has a lot of capability," said Trump. "But as I understand it, in about a month or so, they're gonna send it to have it be maxed out… It'll take about a month."
At the time, Trump said his decision to switch to an older Air Force One aircraft for his flight from Turkey to the UK was done "for old time's sake."
Notably, the US president stopped in the UK on his way back to the US, where he switched back to traveling in the new Air Force One.
The new aircraft, refitted by defense contractor L3Harris Technologies, is meant to serve as a temporary replacement as Boeing struggles to deliver two purpose-built 747-8s under a $3.9 billion fixed-price contract signed in 2018.
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-903588
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