
New details about US President Donald Trump's secret departure from the presidential plane in Ankara last month shed light on the extraordinary security measures taken during his visit to Turkey.
According to new reports, US intelligence services had provided several sources of information indicating a possible and specific surface-to-air missile threat to the plane Trump was traveling on. In parallel, a person near the NATO summit was reportedly seen with a shoulder-mounted missile.
The concern of American authorities was further increased by information that Iranian intelligence knew Trump's location in Ankara, even the floor of the building where he was staying.
Faced with this threat assessment, US authorities undertook an unusual operation to conceal the president's movements.
Trump was publicly seen boarding the VC-25A, the traditional aircraft known as “Air Force One.” However, he reportedly left the plane secretly, hidden in a catering container, and was transported to another presidential aircraft, a C-32A, on which he departed Turkey. Meanwhile, the VC-25A continued its flight with senior officials, staff members, and journalists on board, giving the impression that the president was still on board.
There is no public evidence that Iran made any concrete attempt to shoot down Trump's plane. However, the combination of a potential missile threat and very specific information about the president's location appears to have been enough for US authorities to consider the situation serious.
One of the main questions that remains is how Iranian intelligence managed to obtain such detailed information on the movements and accommodations of the American president.