Trump Switched Planes In Secret, Leaving Journalists Unaware Of Iran Threat: Reports

Journalists travelling with US President Donald Trump from Turkey to the United Kingdom on July 8 were kept unaware of a secret operation in which the president was moved from Air Force One to another military aircraft because of a perceived Iranian threat.

According to the Washington Post, four journalists aboard the presidential plane told the newspaper they noticed a series of unusual events during the flight that only became clear in retrospect. They said they were disappointed by the White House's lack of transparency and some felt deceived by the operation.

One journalist told The Post: "We never were provided any opportunity to consent to being used like this. We aren't Air Force or Secret Service , we didn't sign up for this job to put ourselves on the line to protect the president."

What Journalists Noticed

The press travelling with Trump included journalists from organisations including ABC News, AFP, Associated Press, Bloomberg, Getty, The New York Times, NPR, Politico, Reuters and One America News.

The Washington Post reported that three journalists noticed a catering truck parked unusually close to Air Force One before takeoff. Once airborne, flight staff instructed everyone to keep their window shades lowered but did not explain why.

Some reporters said they had only encountered similar instructions when flying in or out of war zones. They also noticed that Trump boarded unusually quickly and did not hold his usual press gaggle before the first part of the journey.

The journalists remained on Air Force One while Trump was secretly transferred to another military aircraft. The Washington Post reported that two US officials said F-16 fighter jets were deployed as armed escorts during the journey to Britain.

Iran Threat

Trump had previously confirmed that he secretly switched aircraft during the NATO summit in Turkey on July 8 because of a perceived Iranian threat.

Trump said he made the move on the advice of the Secret Service and the military after being warned about a possible Iranian shoulder-fired missile threat. Security personnel secretly moved him from Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft, while around 12 journalists remained aboard the presidential plane as unwitting decoys.

It remains unclear whether journalists and other government personnel aboard Air Force One faced a direct threat. The CIA had assessed its confidence in the Iranian threat as "low".

Press Safety Concerns

The episode has prompted concerns among press organisations about whether journalists' safety was adequately considered.

Richard W Stevenson, Washington bureau chief for The New York Times, described the secrecy as "outright deception" and said the fact that journalists and staff were left unknowingly exposed to a potential threat made the situation worse, according to The Washington Post.

The National Press Club and Committee to Protect Journalists also criticised the White House's handling of the episode, arguing that reporters covering the president should not be unknowingly placed in danger.