US President Donald Trump quietly left what was believed to be Air Force One before boarding a separate aircraft during a visit to Turkey, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained aboard the original plane, according to CBS News. The switch, which took place on 8 July 2026, was carried out over security concerns tied to a potential threat from Iran. Rubio and Bessent were unaware at the time that Trump had already left the aircraft.
The presidential designation "Air Force One" is applied to whichever plane the sitting president is aboard, not to a specific aircraft. In this instance, the original jet kept its call sign and effectively became a decoy after Trump slipped away.
Why was the flight switched?
U.S. officials reportedly determined there was a credible threat from Iran directed at the presidential aircraft, prompting the covert switch. Trump has since publicly confirmed that he was moved off the plane on the advice of the Secret Service because of the danger, according to USA Today. He reportedly boarded a C-32 military jet, an aircraft typically reserved for the vice president or cabinet officials, according to a report from AOL.
Trump's exit reportedly involved boarding a catering truck, which transported him away from the original aircraft to the substitute military plane while the decoy continued along its planned route, according to an account from the Wall Street Journal.
Who else was aboard the decoy plane?
Alongside Rubio and Bessent, the decoy aircraft reportedly also carried senior adviser Stephen Miller, White House communications director Steven Cheung, and members of the traveling press pool, according to the New York Times. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, was reportedly on the other aircraft with Trump, according to ABC News. Reporters and some staff aboard the decoy plane were reportedly not told that Trump had already changed aircraft.
How does this connect to earlier reporting?
Trump had already confirmed the secret plane swap after leaving a NATO summit, acknowledging he had been moved off the aircraft amid the threat linked to Iran. Separately, the Trump administration had previously subpoenaed journalists over reporting on Air Force One security, as part of a Justice Department investigation into leaks concerning the plane's protective measures.
What happens next?
The White House has not released a full passenger manifest for either aircraft, nor has it explained how officials decided who would remain on the decoy plane and who would travel with Trump, according to Newser. Questions over the decision-making process and the scope of the security threat remain unanswered.
Key Facts
- The plane switch occurred on 8 July 2026 in Turkey amid a reported Iran-linked security threat.
- Rubio and Bessent stayed aboard the original aircraft, which retained the Air Force One call sign as a decoy.
- Trump reportedly left via a catering truck to board a separate C-32 military jet.
- Stephen Miller, Steven Cheung and the traveling press corps were reportedly also on the decoy plane.
- The White House has not disclosed the full passenger list or explained the selection process.
