U.S. President Donald Trump allegedly used a catering truck to board a secret flight from Turkey following a credible security threat [1, 3].
The incident highlights the volatility of security operations during high-level diplomatic summits and the lengths to which the Secret Service will go to protect the president from foreign proxies.
The events occurred in July 2024 during a NATO summit in Ankara [2, 3]. U.S. officials said a credible threat from Iran-backed terrorist proxies targeting the president prompted the aircraft swap and secret exit [2, 4].
According to reports, the president hid in a catering cart to board a C-32A, which is a smaller military transport plane [1]. Meanwhile, an older Air Force One Boeing 747-8 acted as a decoy [3]. This decoy aircraft departed for RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom to divert potential attackers [1, 3].
Not all reports agree on the specifics of the evacuation. The Jerusalem Post reported that the president simply switched to the older Air Force One without the use of a catering cart [5].
There are also contradictions regarding the motive for the change in transport. While some officials cited the Iranian proxy threat [2, 4], the president said the swap was done for old-time's sake [5].
The operation took place at Ankara Esenboğa Airport [1, 3]. The use of a C-32A allowed for a lower profile than the standard presidential aircraft, which is often tracked by global aviation enthusiasts, and intelligence agencies.
“Trump allegedly used a catering truck to board a smaller C-32A aircraft while an older Air Force One acted as a decoy.”
The reported use of decoy aircraft and unconventional boarding methods underscores the persistent threat environment facing the U.S. presidency in the Middle East. By utilizing a C-32A instead of the highly visible Air Force One, the administration attempted to neutralize the advantage of intelligence gathered by Iranian-backed proxies, demonstrating a shift toward tactical unpredictability in presidential travel.
