Iranian state media mocked US President Donald Trump after details emerged about a secret aircraft switch during his visit to Turkey last month, portraying the episode as evidence of how seriously Washington views Iran’s military capabilities.
The secret operation was reportedly triggered by a threat that Air Force One could be targeted by a shoulder-fired missile, according to a person briefed on the matter, Reuters reported. “Again, Trump, with his new scandal, has become the top subject in the US media these days.
A scandal stemming from fear of Iran’s military power, a power that caused Trump, last month, while returning from Turkey, to secretly switch his plane,” a presenter on Iranian state television said, describing the incident as a source of “humiliation” for the US president.
Trump had reportedly been seen switching between three aircraft, which the Republican leader confirmed later. The Secret Service subsequently moved Trump onto a smaller government aircraft in an effort to conceal his movements. The Secret Service considered the threat credible and imminent, prompting an extraordinary security operation to move the president without alerting potential attackers. The episode has since become fodder for anti-US messaging across Iran. Billboards and murals in Tehran have targeted Trump and Israel, including images depicting the US president lying in a coffin or drowning in the sea.
The threat emerged on the final day of Trump’s visit to Ankara for the NATO summit on July 8, the source said, as tensions remained high amid the ongoing US war with Iran. Earlier reporting noted: Amid the buzz of Trump’s plane switch, it was widely reported that the US President was prompted to switch planes due to “a credible threat from Iranian proxies.
Air Force One then departed separately, carrying senior administration officials, White House staff and members of the travelling press corps, according to the person briefed on the operation. Earlier reporting noted: Iranian threat to Trump ‘not compelling enough’ for CIA before plane switch in Turkey: Report US President Donald Trump recently switched out planes during a summit in Turkey due to a “threat”. Earlier reporting noted: According to a Washington Post report, the threat was real, but the Central Intelligence Agency deemed it”not compelling enough.”
