US President Donald Trump was secretly moved between aircraft in a catering truck during a military flight from Turkey last month, an extraordinary security operation carried out after an Iranian assassination threat, The Washington Post reported.
The White House had said at the time that Mr Trump was traveling aboard Air Force One from Turkey, where he had attended a NATO summit, to Britain.
But shortly after boarding the plane, Mr Trump was reportedly taken off it through a concealed operation involving an airport catering truck and transferred to another aircraft bound for Britain, according to The Post, which cited unnamed sources.
The New York Times published a similar account, also quoting unnamed US officials.
The NATO trip marked the first international journey for the new presidential aircraft, whose rapid upgrades had raised questions about its cost and security. The flight also came as tensions intensified with Iran, which shares a border with Turkey.
Before leaving Ankara, Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social that he would take an older, baby-blue Air Force One to RAF Mildenhall in Britain “for old time’s sake.” He said the new aircraft would travel to the same base so US service members stationed there could tour it.
After Mr Trump boarded the older Air Force One in Ankara while cameras recorded the departure, he was secretly transported in an airport catering truck to a smaller Air Force C-32A, The Post reported. The account cited a US official familiar with the operation and material reviewed by the newspaper.
The operation was launched in response to what The Post described as a credible threat against Mr Trump. A comparable maneuver took place in 2000, when President Bill Clinton flew into Pakistan aboard an unmarked executive jet while his official Air Force One served as a decoy.
On this occasion, journalists who believed they were traveling with Mr Trump aboard the older Air Force One were instructed to keep the window shades in the press cabin closed. The aircraft was, in effect, being used as a decoy.
The Post reported that some White House staff members, as well as the reporters, also believed the president was on board.
When reporters later asked why they had been told to keep the shades shut during the flight, Mr Trump said they were “probably on a dangerous flight.” He added: “But if I go, you go. Right?”
The C-32A carrying Mr Trump reached Britain at about 10.20pm, while the older Air Force One and the media contingent arrived several minutes later, The Post reported. The newspaper said it remained unclear how Mr Trump was transferred from the C-32A back to the older Air Force One.
According to the traveling press pool, Mr Trump descended the stairs of the older Air Force One at 10.56pm.
He offered the journalists a peace sign but did not approach them. Instead, he spent some time greeting service members before walking toward the new aircraft donated by Qatar.
Asked about the disclosure that Mr Trump had secretly traveled aboard a third aircraft, the White House referred to a statement from Communications Director Steve Cheung. He said the Qatari-donated jet had been equipped with high-level security protocols designed to protect the president and his staff.
“As the President has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats,” Mr Cheung said. The White House gave The Post the same statement.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The new aircraft bears a red, white, dark blue and gold livery selected by Mr Trump. It is a Boeing 747 gifted to the United States by Qatar last year and subsequently refitted by defense contractor L3Harris Technologies.
It was designed to serve as a temporary replacement while Boeing continued to struggle with the delivery of long-delayed next-generation Air Force One aircraft.
