The Times: Reason for Trump's plane swap was a "credible Iranian threat"
Amid ambiguity surrounding the use of the old Air Force One to bring Donald Trump back from the NATO summit in Turkey, The New York Times reported that the decision stemmed from a "credible threat from Iranian proxy forces" to the life of the US President. The Times noted that this threat is distinct from the one previously warned about by Israeli intelligence.
The New York Times reported last night that the reason for replacing the Air Force One aircraft for the return of US President Donald Trump from the NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month was a "credible threat" to harm him from Iran's proxies.
Over two weeks ago, at the conclusion of the NATO summit in Ankara, the US Secret Service recommended that President Trump fly from Turkey on the old Air Force One, rather than the new plane that was refurbished and gifted by Qatar, as a security precaution against the backdrop of renewed fighting against Iran. Trump stated at the time that the decision to change planes was not due to security concerns, but when asked if security considerations led to the change in flight plans, he replied that he is "number one on Iran's hit list."
Later, the Wall Street Journal reported that the plane swap occurred after US officials received intelligence from Israel about a possible assassination plot. Some US officials who spoke to the newspaper at the time claimed the threat was not considered entirely credible, expressing concern that Israel shared the intelligence to influence US decision-making and lead to a return to full-scale war against Iran.
As reported by The Times, the decision to swap planes was made after US officials determined there was a "credible threat to Air Force One from Iranian proxy forces." The nature of the threat sheds light on the White House's decision to return to the previous plane—which is reportedly equipped with defensive measures—over the plane donated by Qatar, which was put into service as quickly as possible due to pressure from Trump.
The report noted that the information received in the US did not indicate that the Qatari plane was a specific part of the plot by Iran's proxies, who intended to attack Trump in any case. It was also noted that the threat identified by the US was in addition to the one warned about by Israel.
The White House refused to comment, but in response to The Times' inquiry, a senior administration official pointed to Trump's hints during and after the summit about threats against him and expressed support for the measures taken to protect the president and his delegation. It was further reported that details of the threat to Trump's life were not widely distributed even within the administration, with some officials told that the plane swap was due to "general concerns" regarding Iran. Additionally, relevant members of Congress were not briefed regarding the threat.
