President Donald Trump is facing criticism for using the press and others aboard Air Force One as decoys last month when he faced a threat from Iran ― all while reportedly dodging that threat himself.
The Washington Post and The New York Times on Monday reported that last-minute travel changes on July 8, as the president left a Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, were far more extensive than the public had been led to believe.
Trump had arrived in Turkey on his new plane, a $400 million gift from Qatar. On departure, however, he sent that plane ahead to a US military base in the United Kingdom. Trump, his staff and the media then boarded an older Air Force One plane.
But Trump was not on that older Air Force One plane when it took off.
Right after boarding, he hid in a catering container truck, which took him to a third aircraft ― a US military C-32A ― while the press and some of his staff stayed aboard the previous Air Force One, all while letting them remain under the impression that he was aboard as well.
Once all three planes were on the ground in the UK, Trump secretly returned to the older Air Force One aircraft and exited as if he had been there the whole time. Everyone then returned to the Qatar-gifted jet to complete the journey back to the United States, according to the reports.
According to the reports, Trump boarded Air Force One via the stairs on the right side of the image, then hid inside a catering container on the opposite side of the plane, which took him to a different aircraft.Trump not only didn’t disclose the ruse to the media on the plane he left behind, but later made light of the situation when reporters asked why they had to keep the shades down when the plane was in Turkey. He said it was because they had been aboard a “dangerous flight” due to the threats he was facing from Iran.
“But if I go, you go. Right?” Trump said. “So perhaps someday you want to change professions.”
Critics called out the president for placing the press and others aboard the original plane at risk while dodging the danger himself via his catering truck swap:
So, I completely understand secreting POTUS away from a credible assassination attempt.
But leaving the entire Air Force One crew, press pool, etc. to play decoy is some sick shit. https://t.co/e9UZQyLrEv
🚨🚨🚨EXCLUSIVE. Meidas has obtained footage of Trump hiding in the catering truck while switching planes. pic.twitter.com/4sIFmVdB7n
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) August 11, 2026That’s an awful lot of clandestine maneuvering to evade a country with zero military capability because we’d “destroyed it” on “day one.” 🧐
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) August 11, 2026Donald Trump hiding in a catering truck. pic.twitter.com/ZsmKolKPGt
— Mad Genius 🇻🇮🇵🇷🇺🇸 (@MGenius15636) August 11, 2026So there were people on the plane who had no clue the president wasn’t onboard due to threats. This seems really reckless with the safety of everyone else onboard that flight, does it not? https://t.co/hbTMpdApv8
— Amy McGrath (@AmyMcGrathKY) August 11, 2026-George Washington led the American military in our War for Independence.
-Ulysses S. Grant led the Union Armies in the Civil War.
-George H.W. Bush flew combat missions as a Navy pilot in World War II.
-Donald Trump hid in an airplane catering cart in the Iran war. pic.twitter.com/DCQ73mC9HE
The mental image of Trump hiding from Iran in a catering cart is devastating. A weak, stupid old man hiding from the consequences of his own decision while endangering others.
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) August 11, 2026So the idea was to get Trump out safely while letting the journalists get vaporized? https://t.co/t45niwfzsH
— Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) August 11, 2026So they left staff and press on the plane they didn’t think was safe enough for Trump? https://t.co/DWwIjIWRe4
— Connor Ewing (@ConnorMEwing) August 11, 2026I don’t even care that it’s AI… this image of Trump hiding in a catering cart is going to be stuck in my brain for awhile! pic.twitter.com/J0kQQHbmUu
— Ceri Everett (@CeriEverett) August 11, 2026Trump is under the secret Ego Protection Program. https://t.co/dS7dNN1i01
— Jay Bookman (@jaysbookman) August 10, 2026Ask Trump if he has any extra peanuts from the catering truck… pic.twitter.com/RUsAW2NANA
— Raging Hypocrisy (@RagingHypocrisy) August 11, 2026So the press was the decoy for an Iranian assassination attempt? https://t.co/OefmFvX1kc
— Jim Stewartson, Decelerationist 🇨🇦🇺🇦🇺🇸 (@jimstewartson) August 11, 2026Trump was so scared of Iran assassinating him on AF1, he secretly boarded a catering truck to sneak onto a 3rd plane—not the old AF1 or the Qatari gifted plane.
When he announced he'd take the old AF1, it was a ruse. He knew that plane—with the press corp aboard—was now a decoy. https://t.co/JHC5AA1Ks1
Does this mean White House staff and members of the press were on a "bait" plane unbeknownst to them? https://t.co/TTTIEPFOwl
— 🌻 Liza (@YesQuake) August 11, 2026“Trump reportedly left the 747 via an airport catering truck…”
That sneaky SOB. https://t.co/8UW7uJY6Qfpic.twitter.com/DyPiU1t848
Whatever happened to the captain abandoning the ship LAST?
Here, he abandoned FIRST!
🎁 https://t.co/nECIxDd9y2https://t.co/KoMVZHA9Yc
My sources just sent me a photo of when Trump was loaded by secret service into that catering truck. pic.twitter.com/4hXpxz2zTf
— Texas Meema (@TexasMeema) August 11, 2026Brave President Trump hiding from the Iranians in a catering truck https://t.co/AB71CINKjw
— American Exceptionalist (@FraysSorted) August 11, 2026An escape plan fit for George Bluth. https://t.co/XwpneG9Wes
— Patrick Aldrich (@AldrichPatrick) August 11, 2026Now is it automatically FOOD CART ONE when they stuff the President inside the catering cart? Or does it go by another name 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/ox1UzfqSvA
— Max Goof (@MaxGoof1996) August 11, 2026
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