Trump claims he wasn’t scared despite secret catering cart escape fearing Iran
US President Donald Trump claims he was not frightened by an alleged Iranian threat that prompted the Secret Service and military to secretly remove him in a catering cart from Air Force One in Turkey last month.
Trump confirmed the operation on Tuesday, saying security officials instructed him to board “a different flight, different plane” because of a "threat", although he claimed he had paid little attention to the danger.
“I guess there was a threat out there. I did not really ask too much about it,” Trump told reporters, adding, “I get a lot of threats.”
He also dismissed concerns over his safety, saying, “I do not worry about anything, to be honest … Whatever it is. You know my attitude? Whatever!”
His remarks followed a Washington Post report revealing that Trump had been secretly transferred from Air Force One after a NATO summit in Turkey because US officials considered an alleged Iranian threat credible.
Trump was transported inside an airport catering vehicle to a smaller government aircraft while Air Force One departed with White House officials, security personnel, support staff and journalists still aboard.
He later rejoined the presidential aircraft after a stop in Britain, completing a security operation that remained undisclosed for several weeks and left those aboard Air Force One apparently unaware that the president was no longer on board.
Presidential historian Garrett M. Graff described the operation as highly unusual, noting that US presidents have previously traveled on unmarked or decoy aircraft during covert visits to conflict zones.
“But this was an ongoing secret that I do not think we have ever seen before,” Graff said, describing the prolonged concealment of Trump’s whereabouts as highly unusual even by the standards of covert presidential travel.
The incident also raised questions about the aircraft Trump had been using, as the luxury jet gifted by Qatar on which he arrived in Turkey lacked missile-detection and defensive countermeasure systems installed on older presidential aircraft.
Trump had previously told reporters during the trip, “If I go, you go. Right?” even though security officials had determined that he should not remain aboard the aircraft.
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