Cabinet Secretaries Stayed on Decoy Aircraft After Trump's Hidden Exit in Turkey
Two of President Donald Trump's cabinet members remained aboard a plane masquerading as Air Force One while Trump slipped away on a separate flight in Turkey.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were on a aircraft that continued to broadcast the Air Force One call sign after Trump boarded a different plane. The president entered the official plane on 8 July, then concealed himself on a catering truck to be moved to another military aircraft for security reasons related to Iran. The original aircraft kept the Air Force One identifier, effectively serving as a decoy. Rubio and Bessent did not join the flight provided to Trump.
Why it matters
It reveals unconventional security steps taken for the U.S. president, raising questions about transparency and risk management.
In this story