Key Points
- Trump secretly disembarked Air Force One via food trucks at the Ankara NATO summit due to an Iranian missile threat.
- The President transferred to a classified third aircraft and flew to the UK; the press and staff remained on the decoy plane.
- Netflix reconstructs the operation in a documentary released on September 4, using press witnesses and former officials.
By the Numbers
Trump conducted a secret plane swap operation while departing the NATO summit in Ankara in July 2026 due to an Iranian missile threat. After boarding Air Force One, the President secretly disembarked via food trucks and transferred to a classified third aircraft. The operation reveals a decoy plane was used, leaving the press corps and White House personnel unaware.
Netflix brought the event back to the agenda by releasing the documentary "Instadocs: The Decoy Plane" on September 4. The documentary relies on testimonies from traveling press pool members, investigative journalists, a former Secret Service agent, and an Air Force One crew member. Reuters correspondent Gram Slattery and AP photographer Alex Brandon confirm the positioning of food trucks at both ends of Air Force One.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Dan Scavino, and Walt Nauta were with Trump during the operation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained on the decoy plane and are alleged to have been briefed on the operation. Press members did not know Trump's whereabouts and were asked to close their window shades.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Why did Trump secretly switch planes in Ankara?
- The Secret Service initiated the plane swap operation for security reasons after receiving intelligence of a possible missile threat from Iran.
- What sources does the documentary rely on?
- The documentary uses first-hand testimonies from traveling press pool members, investigative journalists, a former Secret Service agent, and an Air Force One crew member.
- Who was with Trump during the operation?
- Aide Natalie Harp, Dan Scavino, Walt Nauta, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were part of the team that transferred to the secret plane.
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