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Trump secretly removed from Air Force One as Cabinet stayed behind
By Aurax Radio | August 13, 2026 | 2 min read
President Donald Trump was secretly taken off the aircraft carrying senior administration officials during a return flight from Turkey last month after U.S. intelligence identified a potential threat from Iran. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained aboard the aircraft, which continued to serve as a decoy while Trump was moved to a separate military jet.
The aircraft carrying senior U.S. officials continued its journey as a decoy after Trump was secretly transferred to another military jet.
The operation followed the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, when Trump initially boarded the new aircraft provided by Qatar for his trip home. Instead, he was covertly transferred through a catering truck to a smaller military aircraft, according to U.S. officials familiar with the security operation. The maneuver was designed to conceal Trump's location and reduce the risk of an attack, while the original aircraft continued its planned journey with senior Cabinet officials and members of the press aboard.
The decision meant that Trump was removed from the potentially threatened aircraft while Rubio and Bessent, two of the highest-ranking members of his Cabinet, remained on it. An official told The Associated Press that Rubio was aware of the threat and the aircraft switch, while it was unclear how much Bessent knew. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ultimately accompanied Trump on the separate flight. The episode highlights the heightened security measures surrounding presidential travel, particularly after Trump survived multiple assassination attempts, while also raising questions about how those protections were applied to other senior officials traveling with him.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, BBC News and The Washington Post.
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