Iranian state media mocked Trump's plane change during his visit to Turkey
Iranian state media mocked U.S. President Donald Trump after new details emerged about his plane change during his visit to Turkey. An Iranian state television anchor claimed that this incident allegedly demonstrates Trump’s fear of the Islamic Republic’s military might.
According to a source familiar with the situation, the threat of a possible attack on Air Force One by a shoulder-launched missile prompted the U.S. Secret Service to secretly transfer Trump to a smaller government plane. The source reported that the threat arose on the final day of the U.S. president’s visit to Ankara for the NATO summit. The Secret Service, he said, considered the threat credible and imminent and carried out an operation to conceal the president’s movements.
On July 8, Trump and a small group of aides used a catering truck to transfer from the large presidential aircraft to a less conspicuous C-32A for their departure from Turkey, the same source claims. Air Force One left Turkey separately, carrying senior administration officials, White House staff, and members of the presidential press pool. The Washington Post was the first to report the details of this operation.
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The New York Times reported that U.S. officials were concerned by information suggesting that the Iranians knew where Trump was staying in Ankara, specifically the exact floor of his hotel. Tehran has not officially commented on either these claims or the reports of the plane change. The White House did not provide an immediate comment outside of business hours.
The Iranian Embassy in South Africa posted memes on X about the U.S. president’s security measures. In one post, Trump was depicted in a takeout box, and in another, it was claimed that he would soon be “hidden in a trash can.” The embassy’s account is listed on the diplomatic mission’s official website.
Ali Vaez, deputy director of the Middle East and North Africa program at the International Crisis Group, stated that hardline Iranian supporters are using reports of Trump’s heightened security measures in their rhetoric.
