Trump pulled a full James Bond move in Turkey, secretly switched planes amid Iran-linked threat

US President Donald Trump was reportedly moved onto a smaller military aircraft in a covert security operation after he left Turkey last month, following a credible assassination threat linked to Iran, Moneycontrol reported, citing The Washington Post.

The unusual operation took place on July 8, when Trump was departing Ankara after attending a NATO summit. Trump initially boarded the legacy Air Force One in front of television cameras, creating the impression that he would leave Turkey aboard the presidential aircraft.

However, minutes later, Trump and several aides were reportedly transferred to a smaller US Air Force C-32A using an airport catering truck, according to The Washington Post, which cited a US official familiar with the operation and another person with knowledge of the president's travel.

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Trump had arrived at the legacy Air Force One by limousine and waved to cameras before boarding. The report said he was later moved out of the aircraft through a catering truck positioned on the opposite side.

Video footage reviewed by The Washington Post showed the catering truck being raised to the aircraft's door before it moved towards the smaller C-32A parked nearby.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also boarded the C-32A separately, according to the report, in an apparent effort to make the change of aircraft appear routine.

Journalists travelling on the legacy Air Force One were reportedly instructed to keep their window shades closed during the operation.

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What did the White House say?

The White House did not directly confirm the details of the reported deception operation. Communications director Steven Cheung, however, defended the newer Boeing 747-8 aircraft gifted to the US by Qatar, saying it had been equipped with high-level security protocols to protect Trump and his staff.

The newer aircraft had faced scrutiny over concerns that it lacked some of the defensive capabilities available on the legacy presidential aircraft.

Trump later acknowledged that he faces a threat against him while speaking to reporters, saying he faces threats "all the time and that Iran considers him a top target.

The reported incident highlights the heightened security measures surrounding Trump amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran.