Before being secretly smuggled off Air Force One inside a catering container to dodge an Iranian missile threat, US President Donald Trump dropped a chilling warning to the reporters left on board: they were taking off on a decoy flight.
The Secret Extraction Plan
Following the NATO summit in Turkey on July 8, US intelligence identified credible threats involving a surface-to-air missile targeting the presidential plane, alongside reports of a shoulder-fired missile spotted near the summit.
To safely evacuate the president, security officials staged a high-risk swap:
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The Public Entrance: Trump boarded Air Force One in full view of cameras to convince onlookers he was on board.
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The Catering Container Exit: Shortly after, Trump slipped into an airport catering container mounted on a hydraulic lift, transferring unseen to a smaller, secondary US military plane.
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The Decoy Flight: The main Air Force One took off with White House press pool journalists, security personnel, and support staff acting as unaware decoys.
Trump’s Warnings and On-Board Jokes
Before disappearing, Trump addressed reporters who were puzzled after being instructed to pull down their window shades.
“Because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags we have to deal with,” Trump told the press pool.
He followed up with a series of characteristic quips:
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“If I go, you go. Right?”
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“Perhaps someday you want to change professions.”
Downplaying the Danger
The maneuver drew fierce backlash from media outlets after journalists realized they had been flown out of Turkey aboard a target plane while the US was in active conflict with Iran.
When questioned later, Trump brushed off the outrage and downplayed the risk to the reporters on the decoy plane:
“I think actually the plane that I flew on was at greater risk,” Trump said, adding that the intense threat level didn’t faze him. “I don’t worry about anything, to be honest. Whatever it is. You know my attitude? Whatever!”
