Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were among those aboard a decoy flight last month as President Trump secretly boarded a different aircraft while departing a NATO summit. The move, which involved the president switching planes covertly, was orchestrated to ensure his security, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accompanied the president on the secret flight out of Turkey. Other White House staff members aboard the president’s plane included Natalie Harp, Walt Nauta, and Dan Scavino. Meanwhile, a group of officials and aides—including Stephen Miller, Will Scharf, Steven Cheung, Mike Needham, Ross Worthington, and Monica Crowley—remained on the decoy flight, which was publicly identified as Air Force One.
The operation took place on July 8. Mr. Trump initially announced he would depart Ankara using the older Air Force One rather than a newer jet donated by Qatar, citing a desire to fly it “for old time’s sake.” However, reports indicate the Secret Service had advised the president to utilize the older aircraft for security purposes. The Qatari-donated plane is currently undergoing security upgrades that the president stated would be “maxed out.”
The transition occurred with the assistance of a catering truck, which allowed Mr. Trump to move from the publicly identified aircraft to a separate government plane, identified by The Washington Post as an Air Force C-32A. Press footage from the time showed the president boarding the older jet, while a catering truck remained positioned on the opposite side. The truck later departed toward the second aircraft.
Mr. Trump addressed the maneuver in an interview with ‘ Nancy Cordes on Tuesday night, confirming that the military and Secret Service directed the switch. He stated that the decision was a response to a security threat, noting that he frequently receives such warnings. “Any consequential president has a lot of threats,” he remarked.
When asked why he considered the designated Air Force One too dangerous for his own travel but acceptable for the press, the president suggested that the plane he actually boarded was at greater risk. During the departure from Ankara, reporters were instructed to keep their window shades closed. Mr. Trump later quipped to the press that they were “probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags that we have to deal with.”
While the president traveled to a refueling stop in the United Kingdom on the separate aircraft, members of the press and staff remained on the decoy flight, believing they were traveling with him. Upon reaching the U.K., Mr. Trump transferred to the newer, Qatari-donated jet for the remainder of the journey across the Atlantic to Washington, D.C., where he spoke with reporters.
The separation of Rubio and Bessent from the president was a deliberate measure to preserve the line of presidential succession. The secret nature of the flight was not publicly disclosed until it was reported by The Washington Post.
Source: CBS News
