Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were on a decoy flight while President Trump was moved to a different plane due to security concerns.
Key facts
- •President Trump departed Ankara on 8 July using a military plane after exiting a decoy aircraft via a catering truck.
- •Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stayed on the decoy plane to preserve the line of presidential succession.
- •The decoy operation was reportedly initiated by the US military and Secret Service due to security concerns involving Iran.
- •Members of the press traveling on the decoy flight were not aware that they were on a secondary aircraft.
- •Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on the second aircraft that transported the president out of Ankara.
During a visit to Turkey last month, US President Donald Trump secretly exited a plane designated as Air Force One to board a different aircraft. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained on the original plane, which continued to use the Air Force One call signal as a decoy. The maneuver was reportedly conducted due to security concerns involving Iran.
The Decoy Operation
On 8 July, President Trump boarded the initial aircraft alongside cabinet members and members of the press. He subsequently exited the plane via a catering truck to be transported to a separate military aircraft for his departure from Ankara. According to reports, the decision to use a decoy was made by the US military and the Secret Service.
Maintaining Succession and Security
Officials including Rubio and Bessent remained on the decoy aircraft to maintain the line of presidential succession in the event of an emergency. The Secretary of State and Treasury Secretary follow the Vice-President, the Speaker of the House, and the President Pro Tempore in that line. Other staff members, including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and communications director Steven Cheung, also stayed on the initial plane, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled on the aircraft with the president.
Context of Security Ruses
President Trump stated that he receives frequent threats and that the Secret Service requested the change in flight. The specific nature of the threat remains undisclosed. Such security measures, sometimes called "shell games," are common for high-risk trips. In March 2000, President Bill Clinton similarly traveled to Islamabad on an unmarked jet while a decoy plane with Air Force One livery landed separately.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC World.
