Members of Trump’s cabinet remained on decoy plane, after president’s quiet exit
Trump's Cabinet Stays Behind on Decoy Plane During Secret Exit
Ninoda.com – Members of Trump s cabinet were among those who remained aboard a decoy aircraft while President Donald Trump made a quiet departure from Turkey last month. According to CBS News, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stayed on what was believed to be Air Force One, unaware that the president had already slipped away on a different flight.
The unusual maneuver occurred on July 8, when Trump initially entered Air Force One alongside both cabinet members and press reporters. He then concealed himself in a catering truck and was secretly transported to a military aircraft. The original plane retained the "Air Force One" call sign, effectively serving as a decoy. CBS, the BBC's American partner, reported that Rubio and Bessent remained behind to preserve the presidential line of succession should any emergency arise.
Who Stayed Behind and Why
If the president were to die or become incapacitated, Vice-President JD Vance would assume office, followed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The Secretary of State ranks next, then the treasury secretary. Alongside Rubio and Bessent, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and communications director Steven Cheung also remained on the initial aircraft.
The second plane that carried President Trump out of Ankara included Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to US media reports. The BBC has reached out to the White House for additional comment. On Monday evening, Trump told reporters that the military and Secret Service orchestrated the deception, explaining that they "wanted me to go in a different flight."
The exact nature of the security threat remains uncertain. Trump offered no details, simply noting that he receives "a lot of threats." "Any consequential president has a lot of threats," he remarked. Members of the press aboard the decoy plane were reportedly unaware of the situation. Similar "shell games" are routine among Secret Service personnel.
They told me about the extraordinary security procedures being taken because of the dangers flying there, including the use of the decoy plane. — Susan Page, USA Today reporter
Identical versions of the president's armoured limousine frequently swap positions in motorcades, as do helicopters carrying the president through the air. More complex operations typically occur during high-risk international trips, when reporters on Air Force One are usually briefed and asked to withhold real-time reporting. In March 2000, for instance, then-President Bill Clinton traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan, on an unmarked executive jet that landed after a decoy aircraft bearing Air Force One livery.
Before that journey, the White House notified USA Today's Susan Page, who then led the White House Correspondent's Association, about the security arrangements. "Of course, the dangers threatened the journalists covering the trip as well as President Clinton," she explained in a Washington Post interview. It remains unclear whether the occupants of the decoy plane—Rubio, Bessent, other staff, and the press pool—faced any actual danger during the Ankara trip. The White House Correspondent's Association has not yet issued a public statement regarding the incident.
FAQ: Understanding the Decoy Plane Incident
Why did Trump switch planes? The US military and Secret Service decided the president should travel on a separate flight due to potential security concerns related to Iran.
Which cabinet members stayed on the decoy plane? Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained aboard the original aircraft.
How does the presidential line of succession work? After the president comes the vice-president, then the Speaker of the House, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and finally the Secretary of State.
Are decoy planes common? Yes, decoy operations are routine, especially during high-risk international travel. Similar tactics were used when President Bill Clinton visited Pakistan in 2000.
Did the press know they were on a decoy? Most reporters aboard the decoy plane were unaware of the situation until after the fact.