Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Trump Used Catering Truck, Decoy Jet to Evade Iran Threat
Keeping a president safe is a very hard job.
Some people want to hurt presidents, so teams of guards called the Secret Service try to keep where the president is going a secret.
This story talks about five times Donald Trump went into hiding places.
One time, guards reportedly moved him across an airport in a catering truck — the kind of truck that brings food to planes — because they were worried about a danger from Iran.
While he flew on a smaller plane, his own big plane flew on without him as a trick, or decoy, to fool any attackers.
Another time, he climbed over a low wall to get past people who were angry and protesting.
In 2020, guards moved him to a secret underground room under the White House while protests happened outside.
In 2024, guards rushed him away from a golf course in a special armoured golf cart after spotting someone with a gun nearby.
Once, he also sneaked out to eat dinner with his family without telling the reporters who usually follow him.
Sometimes the details are secret and not everyone agrees about what really happened, but the goal is always to keep the president safe.
After July's NATO summit in Turkey, Trump was reportedly taken off his Boeing 747, driven across an Ankara airport in a catering truck and flown to Britain on an Air Force C-32A while the 747 kept flying as a decoy amid a credible Iranian assassination threat, per The Washington Post.
Asked about danger, Trump told reporters 'If I go, you go. Right?' and dismissed the aircraft switch as 'for old time's sake'; the White House has not confirmed the operation, and communications director Steven Cheung said 'we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.'
In April 2016, Trump climbed over a low wall behind a Hyatt Regency hotel near San Francisco to bypass hundreds of protesters blocking his entrance to the California Republican convention.
On May 29, 2020, the Secret Service moved Trump into the White House's underground bunker for nearly an hour as George Floyd protests reached the perimeter; Trump called the visit 'more for an inspection.'
On September 15, 2024, an armoured 'fast cart' moved Trump to the clubhouse after an agent spotted a rifle roughly 400 yards away at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach while he golfed with real-estate investor Steve Witkoff.
- Who
- Donald Trump, protected by the United States Secret Service.
- What
- Five episodes of concealed movement, most notably a reported catering-truck transfer at an Ankara airport and a decoy-plane flight to Britain amid a credible Iranian assassination threat.
- When
- The Turkey operation took place in July, after a NATO summit; other episodes occurred in April 2016, May 29, 2020, September 15, 2024, and November 15, 2016.
- Where
- Ankara, Turkey; Britain; San Francisco, California; Washington, D.C.; West Palm Beach, Florida; and New York City.
- Why
- Reported security threats — including a credible Iranian assassination threat — as well as protests over George Floyd's killing and a desire for a private family dinner without press coverage.
Critics and Press Watchdogs
Trump and His Security Team
Reason for the Turkey aircraft switch
Critics and Press Watchdogs
Press reports said the elaborate catering-truck operation was needed because of a credible Iranian assassination threat against Trump, and the administration said it uses every tool to address threats from 'enemies of America.'
Trump and His Security Team
Trump publicly dismissed the security reason ('for old time's sake,' 'I don't really care'), and the White House has not confirmed the reported operation.
The White House bunker visit
Critics and Press Watchdogs
Critics said Trump retreated from protesters gathered at the White House perimeter and dubbed him 'Bunker Boy.'
Trump and His Security Team
Trump said the underground visit was 'more for an inspection' than a retreat from demonstrators.
Dinner without the press pool
Critics and Press Watchdogs
The White House Correspondents' Association renewed concerns that going without a protective press pool makes it harder for journalists to locate and report on the president in an emergency.
Trump and His Security Team
Trump's side sought a private family dinner; aide Hope Hicks said she had not known about the dinner and had not intended to leave the press 'in the dark.'
- Reported source
- The Washington Post
- Most recent episode
- Catering-truck transfer at an Ankara, Turkey airport (July)
- Aircraft Trump reportedly flew
- Air Force C-32A
- Decoy aircraft
- Boeing 747 donated by Qatar
- Official confirmation
- White House has not publicly confirmed the catering-truck operation
- Bunker incident
- May 29, 2020; nearly an hour underground during George Floyd protests
- Golf course incident
- September 15, 2024; rifle spotted roughly 400 yards away at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach; moved by armoured 'fast cart' to the clubhouse, later returned to Mar-a-Lago
- Dinner without press pool
- 21 Club, Midtown Manhattan, November 15, 2016
