U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent remained aboard a decoy aircraft on July 8 following a NATO summit in Turkey, while President Donald Trump secretly transferred to a separate military flight amid security concerns involving a portable missile launcher.
The Secret Airport Transfer in Ankara
The extraordinary security maneuver unfolded on July 8 as top U.S. officials prepared to leave a NATO conference in the Turkish capital of Ankara. President Donald Trump initially boarded the aircraft designated as Air Force One alongside cabinet officials and members of the press pool.
Before takeoff, Trump covertly exited the plane and concealed himself on a catering truck to be discreetly transported to a smaller military aircraft. Although the president had left the first aircraft, the original plane retained the Air Force One call sign during the flight home, effectively serving as a decoy.
Speaking to reporters, Trump confirmed that the deception was orchestrated by the U.S. military and the Secret Service. They wanted me to go in a different flight,
Trump said, adding that he receives numerous threats as a consequential president.
Protecting the Line of Succession Aboard the Decoy
While Trump departed on the secondary military transport, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stayed behind on the decoy aircraft. According to reporting from CBS News cited by the outlet, both cabinet members remained on the initial plane to maintain the line of succession in the event that anything happened to the president.
In the event that the president dies or is incapacitated, Vice-President JD Vance would take power, followed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The Secretary of State comes next in line, followed by the Treasury Secretary.
| Official | Cabinet Position / Succession Rank | Flight Assignment on July 8 |
|---|---|---|
| Marco Rubio | Secretary of State | Decoy aircraft (Air Force One call sign) |
| Scott Bessent | Treasury Secretary | Decoy aircraft (Air Force One call sign) |
| Pete Hegseth | Defense Secretary | Military aircraft carrying President Trump |
Other high-ranking personnel who stayed aboard the decoy flight included White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung. Meanwhile, the aircraft carrying Trump also transported Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, executive assistant Natalie Harp, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, and director of Oval Office operations Walt Nauta.
Security Concerns and Historical Precedents of Presidential Deception
While the White House did not officially detail the specific threat, multiple U.S. outlets reported that security teams were responding to concerns involving a shoulder-mounted missile launcher and awareness of Trump’s hotel floor location in Ankara.
Secret Service personnel frequently employ tactical deceptions known as shell games
during high-risk international travel, utilizing identical armored limousines, decoy helicopters, and secondary aircraft to obscure the president’s precise whereabouts. Comparable decoy operations occurred in March 2000, when then-President Bill Clinton flew to Islamabad, Pakistan, aboard an unmarked executive jet following a decoy aircraft that bore Air Force One livery.