President Donald Trump departed the NATO summit in Ankara on his older Air Force One and switched to the Qatari aircraft at Mildenhall airbase in Britain due to a security recommendation by the Secret Service amid US-Iran escalation, the New York Times reported Thursday, as cited by i24NEWS's Amichai Stein.
The New York Times reported late Wednesday that the U.S. Secret Service recommended President Donald Trump switch from his older Air Force One to the Qatari aircraft at Mildenhall airbase in Britain due to security concerns linked to the ongoing escalation between the United States and Iran, as cited by i24NEWS's Amichai Stein. The recommendation provides a security rationale for the change, which Trump initially claimed was to show the plane to American soldiers — a description Israel Hayom's Ariel Kahana called 'an obviously unreliable excuse.'
The thread began Wednesday evening when Trump said he may be assassinated, calling himself Iran's 'number one' target. Shortly after, reports emerged that he departed Ankara on his older aircraft and later switched to the Qatari plane at Mildenhall. The New York Times first reported the Secret Service warning, and Trump hinted at threats from Iran. By the time Kahana reported the 'unreliable excuse' narrative, multiple newsrooms had confirmed the security-driven nature of the switch. The source quality evolved from Trump's own statements to on-record NYT reporting.
As The Zioneer has reported, the Boeing 747 aircraft was donated to Trump by Qatar and entered operational readiness in late June. The plane is intended as an interim Air Force One. The US-Iran escalation has been ongoing, with preliminary talks held in Doha in June.
What remains open: The exact nature of the security threat that prompted the Secret Service recommendation has not been publicly specified. The NYT report cited 'ongoing escalation' without detailing a specific plot or intelligence.
8 developments
- StrongTrump displays Qatar-gifted interim Air Force One in New York
- DevelopingTrump's interim Air Force One enters operational readiness
- StrongTrump, before maiden flight on Qatari jet: Iran nuclear disarmament 'moving along well'
- DevelopingTrump returns to Washington from Camp David, keeps distance from reporters
Source and signal
- Internal intake