Trump Explained the Secret Plane Change After the NATO Summit in Turkey
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that, following the NATO summit in Turkey, he was secretly transferred from Air Force One to another military aircraft. According to the U.S. leader, the decision was made due to a threat from Iran.
Trump made this statement to reporters while commenting on information published the previous day by The Washington Post.
According to U.S. media reports, Trump initially boarded the presidential Boeing 747, which was scheduled to depart from Turkey for the United Kingdom. However, a few minutes later, he was discreetly transferred to a smaller C-32A military aircraft using a catering truck. Air Force One remained in place as a decoy.
Trump confirmed that the change of aircraft was due to a decision by the Secret Service. “Well, it’s entirely up to the Secret Service. I just go along with what they want to do,” the president said.
He also stated that the plane he ultimately flew on might have been an even bigger target. “I think, actually, the plane I was on was at greater risk,” Trump said.
According to him, he receives many threats, but he did not ask for details about the specific threat. “I think there was some kind of threat. I didn’t really ask much about it. I get a lot of threats,” the president noted, according to Reuters.
The White House Office of Management and Budget has officially rescinded a 2023 directive that banned the installation and use of the TikTok app on U.S. government officials’ devices due to national security risks. The decision was made based on a July opinion from the Department of Justice, which concluded that the social media platform no longer falls under the restrictions of the 2022 law.
The U.S. State Department has revoked more than 175,000 visas for foreign nationals since Donald Trump returned to the presidency. According to the U.S. agency, the rate of visa revocations was roughly four times higher than during the final year of Joe Biden’s presidency, The Guardian World reports.
