US President Donald Trump’s secret aircraft switch in Ankara last month has drawn renewed attention after details emerged about which senior officials remained on the decoy plane and who accompanied the president on a smaller military aircraft.

Trump switched from the older Air Force One to a smaller military aircraft after US and Turkish intelligence agencies reportedly identified a credible threat from Iran following the NATO summit in Ankara.

While Trump left Turkey aboard the smaller aircraft, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained on the original plane, along with other senior White House officials and members of the travelling press.

Why Trump Switched Planes

The aircraft switch took place on July 8, following the NATO summit in Turkey.

According to reports, intelligence collected by the CIA and Turkey’s MIT indicated that Iran could potentially target Air Force One with a surface-to-air missile.

Reports also suggested that an Iranian-linked team operating in Turkey had been tasked with carrying out such an attack. Intelligence agencies had reportedly obtained information about Trump’s location in Ankara as well.

The security concerns prompted the Secret Service and US military to devise an elaborate deception operation.

Trump publicly boarded the older Air Force One, creating the impression that he would leave Turkey on that aircraft. He was then secretly transported to a military aircraft, reportedly using an airport catering vehicle as part of the operation.

Trump later confirmed that the decision was made because military and Secret Service officials wanted him to travel on a different aircraft.

Rubio and Bessent Stayed Behind

One of the most notable aspects of the operation was the decision to leave senior Cabinet officials Marco Rubio and Scott Bessent on the original aircraft.

According to reports, both officials knew that Trump was no longer aboard the plane. They remained there with Stephen Miller, the president’s top domestic policy adviser, and Steven Cheung, the White House communications director.

Travelling journalists and some White House staff members, however, were reportedly not informed about the deception.

Those aboard the decoy aircraft were also reportedly instructed to keep the window shades closed.

Maintaining Presidential Succession

Reports citing US officials said Rubio and Bessent were kept on the decoy aircraft partly to maintain the presidential line of succession.

Under US law, if the president dies or becomes incapacitated, the vice president is next in line, followed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

The Secretary of State and Treasury Secretary follow further down the succession order.

By keeping senior officials on the decoy aircraft, officials could ensure that multiple people in the presidential line of succession were not travelling with Trump on the same aircraft.

Trump’s Close Aides Joined Him

Trump was accompanied on the smaller military aircraft by several close aides, including Dan Scavino, White House deputy chief of staff; Walt Nauta, director of Oval Office operations; and Natalie Harp, a 34-year-old executive assistant who has been nicknamed Trump’s “human printer”.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also travelled with Trump aboard the smaller C-32A aircraft.

Harp frequently travels with Trump and is known for providing him with printed copies of news reports, social media posts and other material.

Scavino has been associated with Trump for many years, while Nauta, a former Navy culinary specialist and White House valet, has remained part of Trump’s close circle.

Questions Over the Decoy Plane

The aircraft switch has also triggered criticism over the decision to keep journalists and other personnel aboard the decoy aircraft without informing them of the potential threat.

Critics have questioned whether the operation unnecessarily exposed people on the original aircraft to danger while protecting the president.

Trump, however, has defended the decision, arguing that the aircraft he boarded may actually have faced greater risk because an attacker would have been more likely to target the plane believed to be carrying the president.

Former US intelligence and national security officials have also debated whether the same security objective could have been achieved without misleading so many people.

Security Operation Remains Controversial

The Ankara aircraft switch highlights the extraordinary security measures surrounding the US president when intelligence agencies identify a potential threat.

While the operation succeeded in moving Trump out of Turkey without publicly revealing his actual aircraft, questions remain over the decision to keep senior officials and members of the travelling press on the decoy aircraft.

The incident has therefore become a subject of debate not only over presidential security but also over transparency, risk management and the responsibilities of officials during covert security operations.