Missile threat reportedly led to secret aircraft switch for Trump

According to sources briefed on the matter, a threat that Air Force One could be targeted by a shoulder-fired missile prompted the US Secret Service to secretly move US President Donald Trump onto a smaller government jet during a trip to Turkey last month.

During the same trip, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were among those who flew out of Turkey on Air Force One, raising questions as to whether they acted as decoys.

The sources say the threat emerged on the final day of US President Donald Trump's visit to Ankara for a NATO summit amid heightened tensions with Iran.

They add the US Secret Service deemed the threat to be credible and imminent, prompting an extraordinary operation to conceal Trump's movements.

The sources decline to say where the intelligence came from but say officials had little time to prepare and devised the plans at the last minute.

The sources say there was not a clear plan by those hostile to Trump for executing the threat, but only an intent, which is why the planes were allowed to fly.

There is speculation the threat may have been a new type of heat-seeking missile that homes in on hot aircraft engines and has become an increasing concern for military planners.

They are harder to detect than traditional radar-guided threats and can come out of nowhere because they don't send out detectable radio waves.

On board the Air Force One jet now seen as a decoy were US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who the sources say was briefed on the manoeuvre; as well as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, White House communications director Steven Cheung, and a number of other aides plus the typical press pool.

The sources say White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, executive assistant Natalie Harp and director of Oval Office operations Walt Nauta made the move in the catering truck with Trump.

Some media commentators and lawmakers have questioned whether the operation left Trump's aides and journalists travelling with him at risk aboard the plane presumed to be carrying the US president.