According to reports, Iran allegedly planned to assassinate U.S. President Donald Trump during his return journey from the NATO summit in Turkey.
Both the New York Times and CBS, citing U.S. authorities, reported that Trump changed aircraft for security reasons. During the summit, security forces reportedly detected a “credible threat” from Iran-linked groups, which were said to have planned a rocket attack on his plane.
Trump had originally landed in Ankara in the new Boeing 747-8 jet, a gift from Qatar. However, as he was departing, he switched to an older aircraft. The Secret Service allegedly urged Trump to make the change due to the specific threat situation, as the new plane reportedly did not possess all the protective systems of the previous Air Force One fleet.
The White House announced that the new Air Force One is completely secure but will receive further upgrades and improvements this autumn. Until these enhancements are complete, Trump will temporarily continue flying in the older Air Force One. Given the renewed tensions with Iran, Trump has recently discussed potential threats to his safety and has reasserted that the U.S. military stands ready to react to any attacks.
