Israeli intel on Iranian plot said to have spurred decision to sneak Trump off Air Force One

In the United States and Turkey, around 12 August 2026, Trump confirmed that the Secret Service and the military wanted him off Air Force One in Turkey because of a threat, and that he flew out on a smaller plane after the NATO summit. He said, 'I have a lot of threats you don't know about', and Sky News reported the switch was made via a catering container. Reuters quoted him saying the plane he secretly flew on faced 'greater risk'.

The Times of Israel wrote that Israeli intelligence on an Iranian plot spurred the decision, and that Iran knew Trump's exact location in Ankara. The Telegraph, CNN and the New York Post reported a shoulder-fired or surface-to-air missile threat. Fox News said the 'decoy' Air Force One was protected by US fighter jets, and El Universal, citing CBS, said Rubio flew on the decoy plane while Hegseth accompanied Trump.