Cabinet members remain on decoy aircraft as Trump executes secret exit in Turkey

Two senior members of the US President’s cabinet remained on a decoy aircraft in Turkey while Donald Trump executed a clandestine exit from the plane, according to a report by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. The manoeuvre was undertaken to maintain the constitutional line of succession in the event of a security breach involving Iran.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stayed aboard the original aircraft, which continued to broadcast the Air Force One call sign. This ensured that the highest-ranking officials in the presidential line of succession remained on the decoy craft, separate from the President.

The sequence of events began when President Trump boarded the initial aircraft on 8 July alongside officials and members of the press. Following this, he reportedly concealed himself on a catering truck to be transported covertly to a separate military plane. The original aircraft was retained as a decoy to mislead potential threats.

The decision to split the aircraft was driven by intelligence regarding a credible Iranian threat. US officials stated that intelligence had detected a person near the NATO summit in Ankara with a shoulder-fired missile. The secret transfer was designed to mitigate the risk of the President being targeted during the summit.

Other key figures who remained on the initial aircraft included White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and communications director Steven Cheung. Vice-President JD Vance, the Speaker of the House, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate constitute the primary tiers of the line of succession, followed by the Secretary of State and the Treasury Secretary.

The BBC contacted the White House for comment regarding the operational details of the security protocol. The incident highlights the complex logistical and security considerations involved in presidential travel during high-risk international engagements.