Iranian state media mocked US President Donald Trump after details emerged about a secret aircraft switch during his visit to Turkey last month, portraying the episode as evidence of how seriously Washington views Iran's military capabilities.
"Again, Trump, with his new scandal, has become the top subject in the US media these days. A scandal stemming from fear of Iran’s military power, a power that caused Trump, last month, while returning from Turkey, to secretly switch his plane," a presenter on Iranian state television said, describing the incident as a source of "humiliation" for the US president.
Also Read | Trump hid in catering cart, secretly flew out of Turkiye on small plane amid Iran threat: Report
Why the secret operation?
Deep Dive
What prompted the secret aircraft switch for Trump during his Turkey visit?
How did Trump manage to switch aircraft without attracting attention?
Why did Iranian officials mock Trump over the aircraft switch incident?
The secret operation was reportedly triggered by a threat that Air Force One could be targeted by a shoulder-fired missile, according to a person briefed on the matter, Reuters reported.
The Secret Service subsequently moved Trump onto a smaller government aircraft in an effort to conceal his movements.
{{/usCountry}}The Secret Service subsequently moved Trump onto a smaller government aircraft in an effort to conceal his movements.
{{/usCountry}}The threat emerged on the final day of Trump's visit to Ankara for the NATO summit on July 8, the source said, as tensions remained high amid the ongoing US war with Iran.
The Secret Service considered the threat credible and imminent, prompting an extraordinary security operation to move the president without alerting potential attackers.
The New York Times reported that US officials had also been alarmed to discover that Iranian operatives appeared to know where Trump was staying in Ankara, including the exact floor of his hotel.
The episode has since become fodder for anti-US messaging across Iran. Billboards and murals in Tehran have targeted Trump and Israel, including images depicting the US president lying in a coffin or drowning in the sea.
Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei also pledged vengeance last month following the death of his father and predecessor, who was killed on the first day of the war.
Hidden in a food truck
Trump and a small group of aides reportedly used a catering truck to move from the large blue-and-white presidential aircraft to a smaller, nondescript C-32A jet for the flight out of Turkey on July 8.
Air Force One then departed separately, carrying senior administration officials, White House staff and members of the travelling press corps, according to the person briefed on the operation.
The unusual security measure quickly became a target of mockery from Iranian officials and state-linked accounts.
Iran's embassy in South Africa said in a post on X that Trump "will be hidden in a trash can before long". The post was accompanied by a meme showing Trump inside a catering box filled with food.
The X account frequently attracts attention for the memes it shares, several of which have also been reported by Iranian state media. The account is listed on the official website page of the Iranian embassy.
The Washington Post was the first to report details of the operation to switch Trump from the presidential aircraft to the smaller jet.