US President Donald Trump has said the plane carrying him was potentially at greater risk after the Secret Service secretly switched his aircraft during a flight from Turkiye to Britain.
Following the Nato summit in Ankara, Trump was reportedly moved from Air Force One to another military aircraft through a catering truck as part of a security operation prompted by an alleged Iranian assassination threat.
The White House had not disclosed the change, which was first reported by the Washington Post on Monday. The unusual move raised concerns over the safety of Trump’s aides and journalists who remained aboard the aircraft believed to be carrying the president.
“I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,” Trump told reporters, suggesting the aircraft associated with his presence would have been a more likely target.
Trump said he followed instructions from the Secret Service and military authorities, adding that he receives “a lot of threats”.
The president had travelled to Ankara aboard a recently refurbished jet donated by Qatar but unexpectedly switched to an older Air Force One for the return journey. The change had already raised questions over the security of the new aircraft, which made its first international trip amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran.
