Breaking: Fresh Details Emerge on Why Trump Departed Turkey on Older Aircraft

• US President Donald Trump flew an older Air Force One due to security concerns over escalating Iran conflict
• Officials preferred the older aircraft for its specialised capabilities in high-risk travel
• Despite no specific threats, Trump acknowledges safety concerns during NATO summit

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Fresh details have emerged explaining why US President Donald Trump departed Turkey aboard an older presidential aircraft while his newly acquired Qatari-donated jet was flown ahead to the United Kingdom.

According to four US officials, security considerations linked to the escalating conflict with Iran influenced the decision.

Two officials said security teams preferred the older Air Force One because it was purpose-built to protect the commander-in-chief, unlike the retrofitted aircraft donated by Qatar.

Although officials said there was no specific new threat against Trump, the president publicly acknowledged concerns over his safety during the NATO summit, CNN reported.

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“I’m number one on the list for killing,” Trump said.

Officials cite changing threat assessments

Sources familiar with the matter said the older aircraft offers specialised capabilities designed for high-risk international travel. One source noted that security evaluations are constantly evolving.

“Threat assessments change all the time,” the source said.

Before Trump departed Turkey, the Qatari-donated Boeing 747 was flown to RAF Mildenhall in England. Trump initially said the move was intended to allow American service personnel stationed there to view the aircraft.

“Everybody is so excited, and we thought that they should be the first,” he wrote on social media.

However, when asked why journalists were instructed to lower their window shades during take-off, Trump suggested tensions involving Iran could have been a factor, saying Air Force One could be on a “dangerous plane because of the sleaze bags we have to deal with.”

Officials added that while the Qatari aircraft is considered safe, the older Air Force One remains better suited for missions involving heightened international security risks.

Plot to assassinate Trump uncovered

Previously, Legit.ng reported that Israel has passed intelligence to the United States warning that Iran recently devised a fresh plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter, as an already strained ceasefire between Washington and Tehran edges closer to collapse.

One source said the warning arrived this week, describing it as a specific plot, distinct from the broader stream of assassination-related intelligence that American agencies had already been monitoring in recent weeks.