Trump switched planes in Turkey earlier this month because of threat from Iran proxy forces – report | Donald Trump

Donald Trump changed planes before leaving Türkiye earlier this month after US officials determined there was a credible threat that Iranian proxies were targeting him and Air Force One. New York Times.

The threat emerged while the US president was attending the NATO summit. He arrived in Ankara on a Boeing 747-8 plane donated by Qatar, which Trump acknowledged did not have the same advanced defense systems as the old Air Force One.

According to unnamed sources who spoke to the Times, after US officials identified the threat, the Secret Service advised Trump to change planes before leaving the country. He later announced that he would depart on the old Air Force One instead.

Newly reported details about the threat help explain why the White House decided to quickly switch planes. They also note ongoing security concerns about the donated jet, which Trump has pressed to have ready for use as soon as possible.

According to the report, US officials did not believe that Iran’s proxies were specifically targeting the new Boeing 747-8. Instead, intelligence indicated that the threat was directed at Trump himself and the plane he was traveling on.

The White House has been contacted for comment.

Trump’s justice department had previously subpoenaed reporters at the New York Times for reporting on the security risks associated with the president’s replacement of the capable Air Force One by Qatar, but the justice department has abandoned those efforts for now.

Earlier this month, reported Trump flew part of his journey home from the NATO summit in Türkiye on the old Air Force One, after arriving on a new plane gifted by Qatar. At that time, Trump did not make a detailed statement about the transition and said that he would use the old plane “for old times’ sake.” He also said both planes would make an unscheduled stop at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, a base used by U.S. troops, before returning to the United States.

Although Trump did not explain the reason for changing planes at that time, he had previously mentioned Iran’s threats to his life and even went as far as saying he was leaving. standing orders If Tehran carries out its long-time threats to kill Iran, the US military is expected to destroy Iran “at levels it has never seen before.”

The statements also came as Trump was reportedly considering increasing attacks on Iran in the ongoing conflict following the recent breakdown of a ceasefire agreement. ⁠Trump promised “major military punishment” against Tehran and its Houthi allies in Yemen, but once again left open the door to a diplomatic deal with Iran.

“We’re talking to them. I think they’re serious. I think … they’re the most serious we’ve ever seen them, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to get there,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday.

He added: “We’re locked and loaded. We’re ready to go.”