ABC, citing a senior U.S. official, reported that the decision to covertly transfer Donald Trump to another plane was taken four to five hours before his scheduled departure from Turkey and after receiving information about the presence of a cell linked to the Islamic Republic in that country.

According to the official, the information received indicated that the cell had entered Turkey with a shoulder-fired missile, and the Islamic Republic was also aware of Trump’s movements in Ankara.

Only a limited number of people were aware of the operation. Pete Hegseth, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, boarded the plane with Trump that took him out of Turkey; however, Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, and Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary, remained on Air Force One, which played the role of a decoy aircraft.

According to ABC, both planes were escorted by F-35 fighter jets so it would be difficult to identify the aircraft carrying Trump. The Washington Post also reported that reporters inside Air Force One were asked to keep the window shades closed and that the aircraft’s transmitter was turned off while Trump was not on board.

On Tuesday evening, Trump said the covert operation was carried out in coordination with the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. military.

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