- American officials received alarming information that Iranians knew Trump's hotel in Ankara, his motorcade movements, and were intent on killing him, potentially using a shoulder-mounted missile to take down Air Force One.
- The Israeli government shared intelligence of the potential Iranian assassination plot with the CIA, but the agency and some Trump officials viewed it skeptically, questioning its credibility and Iran's capabilities.
- The disclosures led to a dramatically heightened state of alert among American officials, and the Secret Service determined the potential risk was serious enough to warrant extreme measures.
- Time was limited because Trump was scheduled to leave Turkey on the evening of July 8, only hours after the specific threat came to light, so a small group of senior officials spent the day devising a safe exit plan.
- The plan involved Trump boarding the older Air Force One jet, then quickly walking to another exit where a white catering truck was waiting; the truck was empty and had been commandeered by US officials earlier that day.
- Inside the cleaned-out catering container were Trump, his executive assistant Natalie Harp, Walt Nauta, Dan Scavino, and Secret Service agents; a Secret Service agent rode in the cab for the 162-second drive to the smaller C-32A plane.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined Trump on the C-32A flight to Mildenhall airbase in Britain, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and many senior aides were left behind on the larger plane, unaware Trump was not aboard.
- Fighter jets were mustered to accompany both jets out of the country, indicating American officials believed both planes faced potential peril.
U.S. officials acted swiftly to ensure President Trump's safety during a visit to Turkey after receiving credible threats from Iran. The Iranian government reportedly had knowledge of Trump's whereabouts and intended to use a missile to target Air Force One.
The Israeli government alerted the CIA about the potential assassination plot, but skepticism surrounded the intelligence's credibility. “The threat was serious enough that extreme measures needed to be taken that day,” a U.S. official stated.
With limited time before Trump's scheduled departure, a small group of senior officials devised a plan for a covert exit. They arranged for Trump to board an older Air Force One jet, then quickly transfer to a catering truck that had been emptied for the operation.
Inside the truck were Trump, his executive assistant Natalie Harp, and several key aides, including Dan Scavino and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Meanwhile, many senior aides remained unaware that Trump had left the larger plane, as they were instructed to keep their window shades down.
To ensure safety, fighter jets were deployed to accompany both aircraft out of Turkey, highlighting the seriousness of the threat.
The operation underscores the tense atmosphere surrounding Trump's foreign visits and the lengths to which U.S. officials will go to protect the president amid credible threats.
“The escape involved a 162-second drive in a cleaned-out catering container with Trump, aides, and Secret Service agents to a smaller C-32A plane. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined Trump, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and others were left behind, unaware Trump was not aboard.”
