President Donald Trump has denied playing any role in a covert operation that saw him secretly transferred from Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft during his departure from Turkey in July, following reports that an Iranian threat prompted the elaborate security maneuver.
“It’s only up to Secret Service,” Trump told reporters Tuesday before boarding Air Force One in Ohio. “I just follow what they like to do.”
The operation was first reported by The Washington Post and involved Trump being discreetly moved from the traditional Air Force One aircraft to a smaller military plane using an airport catering truck.
The switch took place after Trump had publicly boarded the older Air Force One aircraft in front of television cameras. According to the report, journalists and many administration officials who remained aboard the aircraft were unaware that Trump had been transferred and that they were effectively serving as decoys.
Trump had previously said that he chose to travel on the older Air Force One aircraft instead of the Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar for “old time’s sake.”
Subsequent reports, however, indicated that the decision was linked to a potential Iranian threat identified by the U.S. Secret Service.
The departure from Ankara on July 8 came one day after the United States resumed major military strikes against Iran following the collapse of peace talks.
Trump said Tuesday that he had not sought extensive details about the reported threat.
“I guess there was a threat out here. I really didn’t ask too much,” he said.
The president also argued that the older aircraft may have been more exposed to danger because it was the plane most likely to be targeted.
“I think the plane I was flying on was at greater risk because that would be the plane that they would be more likely to go for,” Trump said.
The covert operation has raised concerns among White House journalists over press access and the ability of reporters to safely track the president’s movements.
The White House Correspondents’ Association said Tuesday that it had raised concerns with administration officials, arguing that the deception had impaired journalists’ ability to report accurately on the president’s movements and could have implications for their safety.
The episode has also renewed questions over the security of the newer Air Force One aircraft gifted by Qatar. The Trump administration previously subpoenaed New York Times reporters over their reporting concerning the aircraft’s security, but later withdrew the demands after the newspaper challenged them in court.
The White House has not publicly disclosed detailed information about the alleged Iranian threat that prompted the July security operation.
