WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump departed on a secret military flight from Turkey last month when the White House said he was flying aboard Air Force One, an extraordinary move prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, the Washington Post reported Monday.

Trump had taken the newly renovated Qatari-donated jet to Ankara for the NATO summit. The trip to NATO was the first international travel for the new plane, whose speedy upgrades triggered questions over its cost and security, and took place as hostilities escalated with Iran, which borders Turkey.

He unexpectedly used the older Air Force One craft when departing the country, a move that prompted questions about the newer plane’s security. It was later reported he did this due to a real concern of an attempt by Iran to assassinate him.

But the new report said the president didn’t use the old 747 either.

Before departing Ankara, Trump said on Truth Social that he would use an older baby blue Air Force One plane “for old time’s sake” ⁠to RAF Mildenhall in Britain while the new plane stopped at the same base so US service members stationed there could tour the ​aircraft.

After Trump boarded the old Air Force One in front of cameras in Ankara, he was secretly shuttled by an airport catering truck to a smaller plane, an Air Force C-32A, the Post reported, citing a US official familiar with the operation and corroborating material it reviewed.

The report did not specify the nature of the specific threat from Iran that led to the extra precautions and the secret plane swap. The New York Times and CBS News reported last month that intelligence officials had raised concerns about a potential attack on the president or his jet, triggering additional precautions and the decision not to use the newly inaugurated aircraft gifted to Trump by Qatar for the first leg........

© The Times of Israel