
New reports say former US President Donald Trump secretly left Turkey using a food truck and a military jet, contradicting what was publicly stated at the time. The operation was carried out amid what multiple sources describe as an Iranian threat against his life.
According to reports from The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The Times of India, Trump was hidden inside a catering cart to board a military aircraft. The move was designed to keep his departure from Turkey completely under wraps.
Public statements at the time suggested Trump was following a different schedule. The secret flight appears to have been arranged in response to specific intelligence about a possible Iranian assassination plot.
The reports say Trump's actual movements were far different from what was announced. Officials had not confirmed the exact timeline or route of his departure as of Tuesday morning.
The use of a food truck, or catering cart, is being described as a low-profile way to move a high-profile figure. It allowed Trump to board the jet without being seen by the public or, potentially, by those monitoring the airport.
The Iranian threat has not been officially detailed. However, multiple news organisations have reported that the threat was serious enough to warrant a secret military evacuation.
This is not the first time Trump has faced reported security concerns related to Iran. In 2020, a US drone strike killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, and threats against former US officials have been reported since then.
The exact nature of the latest threat, and the intelligence behind it, remains unclear. US and Turkish authorities have not issued formal statements on the operation.
Military jets are typically used for high-priority evacuations. Combining that with a catering cart suggests a carefully planned operation to avoid detection.
Airport security protocols usually require VIPs to move through designated areas. In this case, the use of a food service vehicle appears to have bypassed normal procedures.
No photographs or video of the departure have emerged. The reports rely on unnamed sources with knowledge of the operation.
Trump has not commented publicly on the reports. His representatives have also not issued a response so far.
The coming days may bring more clarity on the intelligence that prompted the secret exit, and whether any official inquiry will be launched into the contradiction between public statements and actual movements.