Democrats demand briefing after Trump secretly switched planes amid alleged Iran assassination plot
US Democrats are demanding a congressional briefing after reports that Donald Trump was secretly moved to a different aircraft last month following an alleged Iranian plot to kill him, while more than a hundred staff and journalists stayed aboard unaware of the threat.
Democratic lawmakers are calling for a congressional briefing after details emerged of an episode in which President Donald Trump was secretly transferred to a different plane while the public and press believed he remained aboard the original Air Force One.
According to reports, the incident occurred last month after US intelligence allegedly identified a credible threat that Iran was plotting to kill the president. In response, Trump reportedly left Air Force One via an airport catering truck, while more than a hundred aides, officials and journalists remained on the original aircraft, continuing their flight from Turkey toward Britain without being informed of the danger.
Criticism over use of staff as decoys
Steven Cash, a former CIA intelligence officer and former senior adviser to the Department of Homeland Security's intelligence branch, who now serves as executive director of the non-profit Steady State, said the apparent strategy was to reduce risk to the president by effectively exposing around a hundred people to potential danger from Iran in his place.
Footage reviewed by the Guardian reportedly shows Trump boarding the older Air Force One jet in full view of television cameras, before being quietly shuttled minutes later to a smaller aircraft using the catering truck typically used to load meals and supplies.
The episode has sparked anger, with critics arguing that those left on the original plane were never told they might be at risk, effectively serving as unwitting decoys. Democrats are now pressing the administration for an official explanation of how the decision was made and why staff and reporters were not warned.
