Trump hid in catering container to board secret flight in Turkey: Report

US President Donald Trump secretly flew from Turkey to Britain last month on a military aircraft while journalists believed he was aboard Air Force One, according to the Washington Post and the New York Times.

The security operation, reportedly prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, involved concealing Trump in an airport catering container.

The operation took place during Trump’s visit to Ankara for a Nato summit. He boarded the old Air Force One jumbo jet in view of television cameras before being secretly shuttled minutes later to a smaller aircraft in a catering truck normally used to load meals and supplies, a US official told the Post.

The administration had said Trump left Turkey on July 8 aboard the former Air Force One. Trump had also announced on Truth Social that he would use the older aircraft instead of the new Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar.

The trip was the new plane’s first international journey and came amid escalating hostilities with Iran, which borders Turkey.

Before leaving Ankara, Trump said he would use the older, baby blue Air Force One “for old time’s sake” to RAF Mildenhall in Britain, while the new aircraft would stop there for US service members to tour.

Journalists aboard the older aircraft were told to keep their window shades closed, while some White House staff also believed Trump was on board.

Asked later why the shades had to remain shut, Trump said they were “probably on a dangerous flight”. He added: “But if I go, you go. Right?”

Trump instead travelled aboard a C-32A, which reached Britain at about 10.20pm local time. The older Air Force One carrying the media arrived minutes later.

The New York Times reported: “Mr Trump was brought by vehicle from the third plane that he had arrived on to the older Air Force One, boarded it through a different entrance and strode down the step from the upper left-side door as he would typically do, according to [a] US official.”

Trump’s travelling press pool reported that he descended from the older Air Force One at 10.56pm, gave the press a peace sign and greeted service members before walking to the Qatar-donated aircraft.

White House Communications Director Steve Cheung said: “As the president has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”

A similar deception was used in 2000, when Bill Clinton flew into Pakistan aboard an unmarked executive jet while his formal Air Force One served as a decoy.