Trump Addresses Secret Flight from Turkey, Citing Security and Constant Threats

Following reports that he secretly departed Turkey on a military aircraft instead of Air Force One due to Iranian threats, U.S. President Donald Trump defended the maneuver.

Secret Departure from Turkey

Media reported that on July 8, due to the threat of an Iranian attack, the U.S. president did not leave Turkey aboard Air Force One as the White House maintained, but instead secretly departed on another aircraft. In Ankara, Trump boarded Air Force One, a move captured by cameras.

A few minutes later, the U.S. president was secretly transported in a catering vehicle onto a smaller military aircraft, a C-32A, the Washington Post reported on Monday, August 10. The operation was conducted in secret, without the knowledge of journalists and some White House staff who were convinced they were on the same plane as the president.

Following Secret Service Directives

Explaining the decision to reporters on Tuesday, Trump stated that he simply follows the recommendations of the Secret Service and the military. He noted that they wanted him to take a different flight on an aircraft providing the same level of security, adding that he gets plenty of threats.

Trump remarked that every influential president receives numerous threats, while insignificant presidents do not. He also suggested that the plane he actually flew on was subject to greater risk because it likely would have been a more probable target.

Accusations Against Iran and the Strait of Hormuz

Asked if he feared a missile attack, the president replied that he fears nothing and is entirely unconcerned, while asserting that he does not trust Iran because they constantly lie to him. Trump claimed that the U.S. currently has total control over the Strait of Hormuz, maintaining that Iran does not control it and that the strait belongs to the U.S.

Trump warned that if the Iranians take action at some point, they will be wiped off the face of the earth, adding that Iran is no longer the tyrant of the Middle East. Meanwhile, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, stated that the strait will remain closed until the U.S. changes its behavior and accepts Iranian conditions, such as ending the war and unfreezing Iranian foreign assets, according to Reuters.