NYT: Trump's Secret Flight Pales Next to Putin's Security Obsession

The New York Times has published a piece comparing the recently revealed episode of Donald Trump's secret flight with the way Russian President Vladimir Putin routinely handles his own security.

According to the article, Trump's flight aboard Air Force One, which was kept secret and caused surprise when revealed, might on its own look like an impressive feat of secrecy. However, when measured against the security precautions Putin takes, the newspaper argues Trump's case appears minor.

For Putin, an everyday routine

The report emphasizes that Putin's fixation on personal security has grown increasingly pronounced in recent years, reaching new heights. While Trump's secret flight drew widespread attention in American and global media as something unusual and surprising, a similar or even greater level of caution and secrecy is described as ordinary, everyday practice for the Russian president rather than an exception.

The piece concludes that the difference in approach to security and transparency between the two leaders is significant — what is treated as an extraordinary and surprising move in the United States has long been standard procedure for organizing Putin's protection in Russia.