Journalists who travelled with US President Donald Trump last month have expressed anger after reportedly being kept unaware of a secret operation that moved him off Air Force One while they remained on board
amid an apparent Iranian threat.
The Washington Post reported that Trump was secretly moved from the presidential aircraft in Turkey on July 8, with his security team using a catering truck to transfer him to a smaller US Air Force aircraft.
About a dozen journalists travelling in a separate section of Air Force One did not know about the switch and later flew out on the original aircraft.
The move has raised questions over whether the journalists were unknowingly used as decoys while Trump was moved to safety.
‘That’s Not My Job’
One White House reporter told The Washington Post that journalists accept a degree of risk while covering the president, but said they should not be expected to protect him.
“When you sign up to work at the White House, even as a civilian, part of your job is to defend the president,” the reporter said.
“That’s not my job. I cover the president. Reporters take risks as part of the job, but not on behalf of the president.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel had warned the US about a possible shoulder-fired missile attack on Air Force One. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior officials remained on the aircraft.
Pool reporters also noted an unusual Secret Service order for the plane’s window shades to be lowered during take-off.
Trump, White House Defend Security Measures
Trump had earlier been asked why reporters were told to keep the window shades down. He replied: “Because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with.”
“If I go, you go. Right?” Trump told reporters, adding: “Perhaps someday you want to change professions.”
The White House has not directly addressed the reported plane swap. Communications director Steven Cheung defended the security measures, saying: “There are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”
The reported operation came during Trump’s trip to a NATO summit in Turkey. His new Boeing 747, gifted by Qatar, was reportedly not equipped with anti-missile systems, prompting the use of the older Air Force One.
Presidential plane swaps have been used before. Bill Clinton used a decoy aircraft during a 2000 trip from India to Pakistan, while Joe Biden’s 2023 visit to Ukraine was kept highly secret.
(With inputs from AFP)
