https://www.jpost.com/international/article-905245
Israel warned US about Iran's plans to kill Trump on Air Force One, aided his escape
Trump initially boarded, in full view of the media, the aircraft that had previously served as Air Force One.
Trump then departed aboard the C-32A for a US base in the UK, under the pretext that troops stationed there wanted to take photographs with the Air Force One aircraft. From there, he flew back to Washington.
Some members of Trump's staff were unaware of the covert operation
The report detailed that the operation was kept so secret that even some members of Trump's staff did not know he was traveling aboard the third aircraft. For weeks, the impression was that Trump had returned from Turkey aboard the old Air Force One after the new presidential aircraft, which had been given to the US by Qatar, was flown separately to the UK.
In fact, journalists and some White House officials, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, boarded the aircraft believing that Trump was traveling with them as usual. In reality, he had already been secretly transferred to another military aircraft and was flying separately.
The Iranian threat and the switch of aircraft were revealed last month, following initial denials, but the new report discloses for the first time the details of the deception operation carried out at the airport.
The White House declined to directly address most of the details in the report. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said the new aircraft was equipped with "high-level security protocols" intended to ensure the safety of the president and his staff.
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-905245
Returning from a NATO summit in Turkey, the President was bundled off the jet in Ankara and loaded onto a separate military plane bound for the UK.
Trump had originally flown to Turkey on the $400 million Qatari–donated 747–8. But as the summit ended, he publicly announced he was ditching the new jet to board an older Air Force One model for 'old times' sake'.
After being filmed boarding the jumbo in Ankara, the secret swap was executed, where he transferred to the military plane.
The intricate scheme hoodwinked those on board, leaving unsuspecting journalists and even some senior White House staffers in the dark as they flew on the 'decoy' Air Force One flight.
The President covertly entered a food cart that had been fitted to the belly of the plane amid threats from Iranian officials.
His food cart was then loaded onto an airport catering truck, which transported him to a smaller Air Force C-32A plane.
Journalists who boarded the old Air Force One plane, believing Trump was aboard, were instructed to close their window shades.
After the two planes landed in the UK, Trump was smuggled from the C-32A to the legacy Air Force One jet and was seen descending on external stairs.
From there, Trump embarked on the Qatari-donated plane to travel back to Washington with the White House press pool.
Administration officials viewed the Iranian threat as credible, taking extreme precautions to ensure the president's safety.
"It's up to Secret Service. I just follow what they'd like to do, so I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go in a different flight, a different plane ... but they wanted me to do it, so I do it. I do what they say", Trump explained.
US intelligence identified a targeted Iranian threat to launch a surface-to-air missile towards Air Force One as Trump was about to take off from Ankara.
Authorities spotted a man in the area where the summit was taking place holding a surface-to-air shoulder-mounted missile launcher.
The Iranians behind the attempted plot knew exactly where Trump was staying, including the building and floor where his room was located.
Foolish to travel to a terrorist infested country like Turkey. Who advised Trump to do that?
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