Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Iran media mocks Trump's secret plane switch, meme shows truck
The president of the United States is a very important person named Donald Trump.
When he travels, he rides in a special airplane called Air Force One.
While he was visiting a country called Turkey, people who protect the president heard about a danger.
They thought someone might try to shoot his big, famous airplane.
So the protectors made a secret plan to keep him safe.
Trump and a few helpers snuck out hidden inside a catering truck, which is the kind of truck that carries food.
They climbed onto a smaller, plain airplane that did not look important, so nobody would notice.
The big famous airplane flew away separately with other people on it.
People in Iran made fun of Trump for hiding and shared memes showing him inside a food box.
The Iranian government has not officially said anything about the plane switch.
Iran's state media mocked U.S. President Donald Trump after new details emerged about his secret aircraft switch during a visit to Turkey.
The Secret Service moved Trump onto a smaller government jet after a threat that Air Force One could be targeted by a shoulder-fired missile.
On July 8, Trump used a catering truck to switch to a smaller, nondescript C-32A jet while Air Force One departed separately with officials and the press corps.
Iran's embassy in South Africa posted on X that Trump 'will be hidden in a trash can before long,' alongside a meme of him inside a catering box.
Tehran has not officially commented on the allegations or the airplane switch, and the White House could not be reached out of working hours.
- Who
- U.S. President Donald Trump; Iran's state media and its embassy in South Africa; the U.S. Secret Service.
- What
- Trump secretly switched from Air Force One to a smaller C-32A jet in Turkey after a missile threat, prompting Iranian state media mockery and memes.
- When
- The plane switch happened on July 8; the details emerged in reports published around August 13.
- Where
- Ankara, Turkey, during the NATO summit; reactions came from Tehran and Iran's embassy in South Africa.
- Why
- The Secret Service deemed a threat that Air Force One could be hit by a shoulder-fired missile as credible and imminent amid the U.S. war on Iran.
U.S. Officials' View
Iranian Viewpoint
Reason for the plane switch
U.S. Officials' View
The Secret Service acted on a credible and imminent missile threat and ran an extraordinary operation to conceal the president's movements.
Iranian Viewpoint
Iranian state media said the switch showed Trump's fear and 'humiliation' in the face of Iran's military power.
Threat of assassination
U.S. Officials' View
The U.S. Justice Department charged an Iranian man in 2024 over an alleged plot ordered by Iran's Revolutionary Guards to assassinate Trump.
Iranian Viewpoint
Tehran denied those accusations in September 2024 and has not officially commented on the recent allegations.
- President
- Donald Trump
- Event location
- Ankara, Turkey (NATO summit)
- Date of plane switch
- July 8
- Replacement aircraft
- Smaller, nondescript C-32A jet
- First reported by
- The Washington Post
- Hotel security detail
- NYT: Iranians knew where Trump was staying, including the exact floor of his hotel
- Iran's official response
- No official comment so far
- 2024 assassination plot
- U.S. Justice Department charged an Iranian man; Tehran denied the accusations in September 2024
