After a NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, President Donald Trump reportedly swapped from a public Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft under highly unusual circumstances, according to the Washington Post.
The story—source‑identified as a U.S. official—claims the former president boarded the historic Air Force One in view of cameras, then was secretly moved to a C‑32A jet (a modified Boeing 757 used by the vice president) via an elevated catering truck positioned on the opposite side of the runway.
According to the post, journalists and some White House staff boarded Air Force One and were told to close their window shades while the president was already on a different aircraft, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth boarded the C‑32A separately using external stairs to make the switch appear routine.
After leaving Ankara, Trump flew to the United Kingdom where he reboarded the old Air Force One and was seen disembarking at RAF Mildenhall. How he transferred back to the legacy jet remains unclear.
On the flight from the UK to the U.S., Trump was briefed on reporters about threats from Iran, noting that “you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags we have to deal with” and claiming he is “number one” on Iran’s threat list.
White House communications director Steven Cheung could not confirm or deny the swap but stated the new Air Force One is a “state‑of‑the‑art aircraft” with advanced security features. The jet—donated by Qatar—is undergoing additional upgrades set for completion in the fall.
Earlier reports from the New York Times had warned of security concerns with the Qatari‑donated aircraft, prompting summons of some journalists for court testimony and investigations into illegal leaks.
This incident comes amid a renewed U.S. military response to Iran and highlights the tension surrounding presidential flight security.
