Support justice-driven, accurate and transparent news — make a quick donation to Truthout today! 

The Washington Post reported Monday that due to an alleged Iranian threat to assassinate President Trump, he secretly swapped planes before departing the July NATO summit in Turkey — leaving senior administration officials, staff and members of the press corps on board.

“The Israelis passed a tip, a concern, that the plane and potentially the president was under threat,” says Dan Lamothe, one of the Washington Post reporters who broke the story. But it turns out the “CIA had low confidence” in the Israeli tip, according to a more recent Post story Lamothe co-authored on Thursday. “I think that kind of leaves the Secret Service in a tough spot of assessing: What do you do in this zero-fail mission to keep the president safe?”

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

NERMEEN SHAIKH: We begin today’s show looking at how an alleged Iranian threat to assassinate President Trump led to a secret operation last month that possibly endangered the lives of journalists and White House staffers. The Washington Post reported on Monday that President Trump secretly switched planes before departing a NATO summit in Turkey.

Ahead of his departure from Ankara on July 8th, President Trump announced on Truth Social that he would not be flying on the newly refurbished Boeing 747-8 jet gifted by Qatar, but instead on the older Air Force One “for old time’s sake,” he said. That announcement led to revelations that the Qatari plane lacked some of the safety features of the legacy Air Force One — leaks that angered the White House and led to subpoenas of New York Times reporters.

Trump Blames Iran for Gaza Genocide as He Demands “Compensation” From Tehran

AMY GOODMAN: But the Post revealed Monday the president actually departed on a third plane. President Trump was seen boarding the old Air Force One, but then secretly left through another door and was shuttled in an airport catering truck along with several aides to a third plane. The press was asked to lower their shades before the operation, presumably so they would not see the president’s exit. Senior officials who were left on the plane along with the staff and reporters included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The White House never revealed the secret operation.

On Tuesday, President Trump was asked by reporters about the plane switch and the risk posed to the reporters on the decoy flight.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It’s only up to Secret Service. I just follow what they like to do. So, I go by Secret Service, and the military. … REPORTER 1: Mr. President, on the midterms — REPORTER 2: Why was it too dangerous for you to fly on Air Force One, but not too dangerous for the press? PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I don’t know. I think, actually, the plane that I flew on was at greater risk. I think it was at greater risk. REPORTER 2: Why do you say that? REPORTER 1: Mr. President — PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Because that would be the plane, I think, they’ll be — that they would be more likely to go for.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: It’s only up to Secret Service. I just follow........

© Truthout