- Trump was moved off Air Force One in Turkey due to a perceived assassination threat.
- CIA officials assessed the claim as 'Israeli-derived, not U.S.-generated, and viewed as low confidence,' and reportedly told Trump administration officials as much, but the president was moved anyway.
- The escapade illustrates U.S. intelligence and security gaps, animosity toward Trump reaching a level that a foreign attempt would seem plausible, and credibility problems for U.S. and Israeli intelligence services.
- Congress should quickly hold hearings with Secret Service, U.S. military and intelligence leaders to focus on what they knew before and during the summit, when they knew it, and why Air Force One took off without Trump but loaded with Cabinet members, federal government staff, military personnel, and journalists.
- The White House, Pentagon, and State Department have large advance teams that scout out every detail of foreign visits such as a NATO summit, and if the threat was real, then something was missed; if not, that's a problem too.
- The credibility of Israel's security services under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has, in the eyes of many, stretched thin or vanished, and many critics believe the United States launched a war on Iran based on an Israeli ruse.
- Republican leaders in Congress have been unwilling to challenge or undercut the president, who said he was just obeying the Secret Service and military: 'They wanted me to do it, so I do it. I do what they say.'
Details have emerged about former President Trump's secret flight from Turkey, prompted by a perceived assassination threat. CIA assessments deemed the threat as “Israeli-derived, not U.S.-generated, and viewed as low confidence,” raising questions about the reliability of intelligence sources.
The incident highlights significant U.S. intelligence and security gaps. Critics argue that if the threat was real, it indicates a failure in the advance teams' assessments, while if it was unfounded, it points to a troubling misjudgment. “They wanted me to do it, so I do it. I do what they say,” Trump stated, reflecting the complexities of the situation.
The threat reportedly involved an Iranian-sourced shoulder-fired missile, which poses a challenge for detection and defense. This has led to calls for Congress to hold hearings with the Secret Service and military leaders to investigate the circumstances surrounding the flight.4
Moreover, the credibility of Israeli intelligence has come under scrutiny, particularly under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with many questioning whether the missile threat was a ruse to manipulate U.S. policy towards Iran. “If the shoulder-fired missile threat was an Israeli ruse to dupe the American president into continuing a war with Iran, and the U.S. can’t trust intelligence from its Israeli allies, then we have a problem much bigger than a catering truck,” critics warn.
“The Washington Post reported that CIA officials told Trump administration the claim was 'Israeli-derived, not U.S.-generated, and viewed as low confidence,' yet the president was moved anyway. Congress is urged to hold hearings with Secret Service, military, and intelligence leaders to examine what they knew and why Air Force One took off without Trump.”
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