WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump secretly switched aircraft during his departure from Turkiye after the NATO summit last month, with the US Air Force One being used as a decoy as part of a security operation, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

According to the report, Trump initially appeared to board Air Force One at an airport in Ankara, while he was later transferred to a smaller Air Force C-32A aircraft through a highly discreet arrangement. The maneuver was designed to conceal his actual travel route and enhance security, the newspaper said.

The Post reported that the transfer involved Trump leaving the aircraft through a catering truck before being taken to the alternate plane. Some White House staff members and journalists traveling with the presidential delegation were reportedly unaware of the switch at the time.

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The operation came after Trump attended a NATO summit in Ankara and amid heightened security concerns surrounding the president's overseas travel, according to the report.

The White House has defended the measures, saying that protecting the president requires the use of various security protocols, including measures intended to avoid drawing attention to his movements.

The incident also renewed attention to the security features of the aircraft used for presidential travel. Trump had arrived in Turkiye aboard a newly modified Boeing 747 provided by Qatar, but chose another aircraft on departure.

The White House has not released detailed information about the operation, citing security considerations. The unusual aircraft switch highlighted the extensive precautions taken by US authorities to protect the president during international travel.