TIMELINE: Trump’s elaborate covert exit from Turkey amid Iranian threat
Trump's Secret Departure from Turkey Revealed
Tyunews.com – According to sources speaking with ABC News, President Donald Trump executed a sophisticated plan to conceal his journey from Turkey to the United Kingdom last month. This elaborate maneuver involved utilizing both a military jet and a catering food truck to evade potential Iranian threats against his life. The Washington Post initially uncovered this deception, which proceeded without the awareness of accompanying press members and certain White House personnel who remained on the conventional Air Force One.
Contrary to public perception, Trump neither utilized his standard Air Force One nor the newly acquired, opulently appointed Boeing 747-8 gifted by Qatar. Instead, he secretly transferred to a smaller C-32A military aircraft to depart the international gathering in Ankara during early July. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday evening, the president explained that the Secret Service and military leadership made this choice, noting he faced "greater risk" during the covert transit.
Escalating Tensions with Iran
The timeline of events began on July 6-7 when a ceasefire collapsed, prompting renewed hostilities between Iran and the United States. Following Iranian attacks on vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz, American forces intensified their aerial bombardment. This escalation terminated the fourteen-point accord established on June 17 between the two nations.
On July 6 at 9:41 p.m. ET, Trump departed Joint Base Andrews bound for Turkey aboard the Qatar-donated aircraft serving as a "bridge" Air Force One. Accompanying him were Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, among others, as confirmed by White House representatives.
Upon arriving in Ankara on July 7 at 1:51 p.m. local time, the president received an official welcome ceremony hosted by Turkish President Recep Erdoğan at the Etimesgut Air Base.
Threats Emerge at NATO Summit
During his participation in the NATO summit beginning July 8, Trump engaged in a bilateral discussion with Secretary General Mark Rutte. Throughout this exchange, the president frequently referred to Iranians as "scum" and indicated they would likely target him personally.
"They want to take out the U.S. leader -- me. I'm on every list. I saw things this morning, I'm on every single one of their lists, and so far I guess I've been a little bit lucky, but that maybe doesn't last very long, because that's the way it goes."
He continued, emphasizing his position on their watchlist: "Of course they're dirty players, so they go after everyone, probably including me. I've been number one on their list for years, and they're a bunch of scum. You want to know that they're scum, and so we don't like them. I don't like them, and they're evil people."
The Covert Exit Unfolds
Press pool observers noted that the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One departed Turkey without the president aboard. At 3:42 p.m. local time, Trump announced via social media that he was redirecting the new jet to Mildenhall Air Force Base in the United Kingdom. He stated his intention was to "give our Great Military Heroes a chance to appreciate our beautiful new addition to the Air Force Fleet!" In the same message, he indicated he would travel to meet them using the traditional Air Force One.
When questioned around 7:30 p.m. local time about whether security concerns regarding Iran influenced his decision to leave the new aircraft behind, Trump responded: "Well, I speak about it a lot because, you know, the life of a president is very dangerous ... It's a very dangerous profession." He added with characteristic humor: "No, I'm number one on the kill list for Iran. They're lovely people, I'm number one, so I don't know, I can't tell you that."
Trump subsequently boarded the old Air Force One in Ankara at 8:24 local time. Unbeknownst to the traveling press pool, he would soon make his secret transfer to the military jet, completing his covert departure from the region.
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