US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) confirmed that he switched from Air Force One to a different plane during a recent summit in Turkey due to a "threat", saying that he does whatever Secret Service and the military advise him to do.
The confirmation from Trump came just a day after reports surfaced about how the US President switched from the Qatar-gifted Boeing 747-8 to an older Air Force One, and then again made a secret switch to a smaller C-32A aircraft.
Last month, it was reported that Trump had to swap the Qatar-gifted jet for an older Boeing due to an alleged threat. However, a recent Washington Post report said that the US President switched planes once again, having been discreetly moved out of the older Air Force One in a catering container, which then transferred him to a smaller C-32A aircraft.
Amid the absence of an official statement from the White House or Trump about the switching of planes, the US President has now confirmed the move. Speaking to reporters after returning from Ohio, Trump said, "I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane... I do what they say... I guess there was a threat out there. I didn't really ask too much about it. I get a lot of threats."
{{/usCountry}}Amid the absence of an official statement from the White House or Trump about the switching of planes, the US President has now confirmed the move. Speaking to reporters after returning from Ohio, Trump said, "I go by Secret Service and the military. They wanted me to go on a different flight, a different plane... I do what they say... I guess there was a threat out there. I didn't really ask too much about it. I get a lot of threats."
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Trump further said that he has several threats that the public does not know about, adding that any "consequential President has a lot of threats."
“Non-consequential Presidents don't get threatened, and I think I'm maybe the most consequential President,” he added.
Regarding the threats, the US President said he doesn't worry about anything. "Whatever it is, you know my attitude? Whatever."
The truth about Trump's second plane swap, however, was not made known to some officials and the media until now. At the time, they believed that Trump was still on board the older Boeing 747.
Reporters on the old plane out of Turkey were also reportedly asked to keep their window blinds down.
Trump's the ‘last person to trust Iran’
Several media reports, including one from the New York Times, stated that the US President was prompted to switch planes due to a ‘credible threat from Iranian proxy forces.’
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The information found by the US officials revealed that while Iran's proxy forces were not targeting the new Qatar-gifted jet specifically, they had plans to target Trump and any aircraft he might travel in, NYT reported, citing multiple sources.
The report from last month mentioned only the first plane swap, about which the President reportedly said that the switch was made to give American service members in Britain a chance to tour the new aircraft. He had denied any security-related reasons behind the switch.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump also told reporters that he does not trust Iran. "I'm the last person to trust Iran. They have lied to me constantly."
The alleged threat from Iranian proxy forces came amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has now lasted for more than five months. Tehran or any proxy force has not yet made any public remarks about Trump's plane switch or the alleged threat.
Video believed to be of Trump's secret plane swap
The second plane swap, in which Trump was reportedly secretly carried out of the older Air Force One in a catering vehicle and moved to a smaller aircraft, is believed to have been caught on camera.
The Washington Post shared visuals of a catering truck being lowered from the older Boeing jet just minutes after the US President boarded the plane.
Hindustan Times could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
The secretive swap was such that, despite Trump switching to the smaller C-32A aircraft for his trip to Britain, he was seen stepping out of the larger, older Boeing 747 upon his arrival in the UK. It remains unclear as to how he or when he switched back to the older jet from the smaller aircraft.
Trump was then again moved to the Qatar-gifted Air Force One.