Trump used elaborate plane switch in Turkey to avoid Iranian death threat: officials

President Donald Trump secretly departed from Turkey last month on a military plane, not Air Force One, that he boarded while hidden inside a catering truck to avoid a purported Iranian death threat.

The maneuver was first reported by The Washington Post.

Trump flew to Turkey for a NATO summit on a plane given to him by Qatar and meant to be used as Air Force One. 

While he was on the trip, officials announced Trump would depart Turkey in an older presidential plane because of security concerns, officials told the news media, apparently as part of the larger plan to protect Trump, who in late-February began a war with Iran.

After boarding the older aircraft, Trump secretly got off via the catering vehicle and moved to a smaller Air Force C-32A. The Qatari-gifted plane, the older aircraft used as Air Force One, and the C-32A then departed for the United Kingdom, where Trump boarded the Qatari-gifted plane for home.