Two members of the U.S. President Donald Trump’s cabinet were on a decoy aircraft that Trump quietly exited before boarding a separate flight in Turkey last month, a CBS News report says.
The officials – Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent – remained on what was believed to be the official Air Force One, while the president was moved via a catering truck to a military aircraft that provided his protection. This was allegedly done to mitigate security concerns tied to Iran.
The terms “Air Force One” and “Air Force Two” are applied to any aircraft carrying the president or vice‑president. In this instance, the original craft kept the call sign, effectively functioning as a decoy.
According to CBS, Rubio and Bessent’s presence on the first aircraft was intended to keep the presidential line of succession intact should something happen to the president. If the president were to die or become incapacitated, Vice‑President J.D. Vance would assume power, followed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The Secretary of State and Treasury Secretary are next in the chain.
Other key staff who stayed on the initial plane included White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung.
The BBC has reached out to the White House for a response to this unusual arrangement.
