The Washington Post reported on Monday evening that President Donald Trump "flew secretly from Turkey on an alternate military aircraft while the White House said he was aboard Air Force One" on July 8 due to an “Iranian assassination threat,” transferring planes "via an airport catering truck" and leaving press and some White Houser staff behind to travel to the United Kingdom on Air Force One.
The New York Times soon followed up with their own reporting, confirming much of the Post’s reporting and focusing in on the part of the “elaborate ruse” that included “purposely mislead[ing]” the press about what was going on — and leaving them in the “decoy” plane under threat.
This is a story about Trump’s Qatari-donated “new” Air Force One, the “old” Air Force One, and a secret third plane (identified by the Post as “an Air Force C-32A“).
It’s also a story about the way the Trump administration lies to the public and to the press, as well as how senior administration officials — up to and including Trump — might have been willing to go so far as to put the lives of others, including members of the media, at risk.
Finally, it’s a story of how the Trump administration quickly went on the offense in the aftermath of the “ruse” — subpoenaing some of the first reporters who dove into what was happening.
The Times had reported on July 8 that the use of the old Air Force One was a “security precaution” in Turkey and then reported on July 9 that the Qatari-donated jet “lacks the same defensive countermeasures“ as the old Air Force One.
The next day, the Trump administration — via the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York — subpoenaed Times journalists, leading to the high-profile fight that ended with the office withdrawing the subpoenas (and others subsequently issued for phone records) at a hearing before a skeptical judge on July 23.
On Monday night, with a third plane now in the mix, the Times reported:
The extraordinary lengths that the government took to get the president out of Turkey in secret suggested that officials viewed the Iranian threat as credible. And it led the White House to purposely mislead reporters assigned to cover Mr. Trump, allowing the press to report that he was traveling on board a plane that was being used as a decoy.
The threat was not specific to the Qatari-donated jet. Instead, Mr. Trump was being targeted on whatever airplane he was traveling on, as The Times has previously reported.
If, as the Times reported, “Mr. Trump was being targeted on whatever airplane he was traveling on“ and, as it also reported, the Trump administration “purposely misle[d] reporters assigned to cover Mr. Trump, allowing the press to report that he was traveling on board a plane that was being used as a decoy,“ then it appears that the Times is reporting that it believes the Trump administration purposely misled reporters to publish information that the administration believed could make those reporters the target of an attack.
Think about the implications of this — “The Trump administration purposely misled reporters to publish information that the administration believed could make those reporters the target of an attack.” — if it is true.
If that is what happened, the subpoenas issued by then-U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton’s office in the Southern District of New York raise even more essential questions about what the Trump administration, the Justice Department, S.D.N.Y U.S.A.O., and Clayton were doing here — and why.
The pool reports and a brief press gaggle from that day, with the new reporting and context in mind, become all the more notable.
When leaving Turkey, Megan Messerly, the Politico reporter who was doing print pool duty, reported that she did not see Trump when they arrived at the airport at 8:25 p.m. local time before they departed (although there was video of Trump getting on the old Air Force One in Turkey. When they were wheels up at 8:43 p.m., Messerly noted that the press members “have been advised to keep our winder shades in the press cabin closed.”
The old Air Force One landed in the United Kingdom at 10:16 p.m. local time (two hours behind Turkey) — roughly three-and-a-half hours in the air and, Messerly noted, “no visitors to the press cabin.“
After 40 minutes passed by — during which time, per Monday’s reporting, it would appear the Trump was being transferred back to the old Air Force One from the Air Force C-32A — Trump appeared walking “down the stairs of AF1,” heading toward the new Air Force One.
The “elaborate ruse” was done.
Less than 20 minutes later, at 11:14 p.m. local time, per Messerly, the new Air Force One — with everyone on it — was wheels up back to the United States.
Shortly after takeoff, at 11:31 p.m. U.K. local time, Messerly wrote that Trump came back to the press cabin for about 15 minutes of questions. He was asked immediately about what “security concern” led them to take the old Air Force One instead of the new Air Force One from Turkey.
He insisted it was so that the new plane could fly ahead and “hundreds of people” could line up to see the new Air Force One.
“So, you’re saying there wasn’t a security threat,” the reporter replied.
“No, no, why would there be,” Trump replied.
More questions.
“Do you know why they had us close our window blinds? That was unusual,“ a reporter asked.
“No,” Trump said initially. Then, he pivoted, “Well, yeah, because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags that we have to deal with.“
“So, you think that Iran was possibly thinking of trying to —“
“Well, if they asked you to close your windows, probably they feel that way. They didn’t ask me to close mine, but if they did I would have done it,” Trump said. “These are sick people. I can see something like that. I didn’t know they did that, but I could see something like that.“
Then, asked if he was aware of any credible threat against Air Force One, Trump said, “I have a threat all that time. I’m number one on their list, but if I go, you go.”
When the reporter pressed again, asking if there was any specific threat that day, Trump did not answer — instead asking a different reporter if he had a question.
The new Air Force One was wheels down at Joint Base Andrews as 1:12 a.m. July 9, per Messerly.
The next day, the Trump administration, through the office then led by Clayton, would subpoena Times reporters over their reporting related to what had happened over the previous day.
Less than two weeks later, the administration would withdraw the subpoenas. But, less than a week after that, on July 28, the U.S. Senate’s Republicans would confirm Clayton as director of national intelligence.
Why doesn’t it surprise me this administration has no problem allowing a plane full of journalists to be potential targets for a hostile attack?
Chris, your reporting is invaluable. I don’t comment much but read everything! Thank you!!!