Iranian Officials Mock Trump Over Plane Change

Recently, Iranian officials and state media took jabs at former President Donald Trump, suggesting that he switched planes during his trip to Turkey last month due to concerns about assassination threats supposedly linked to Iran.

This aircraft change occurred on July 8, and it was reported by the Washington Post. As the story goes, Trump took Air Force One—a new Boeing 747-8 gifted from Qatar—to attend a NATO summit, but later announced he was returning to the “old” Air Force One while secretly switching to an Air Force C-32A transport plane.

Interestingly, reporters traveling with Trump were unaware of the aircraft switch when they returned to the U.S. Some appeared quite upset to have unknowingly boarded what they labeled a “decoy” plane, raising the anxiety around potential attacks. This situation quickly spiraled into a week-long media uproar.

In a statement when questioned about the incident, Trump remarked, “Well, it’s up to the Secret Service. I just follow what they want to do… They wanted me to take a different flight, a different plane—same security—but they wanted me to do that, so I’ll do it. I’ll do what they say.” This response seemed to emphasize his compliance with security protocols.

However, some within the media weren’t convinced, pointing out that such flight changes aren’t entirely unusual for presidents from either party when abroad. It’s a protocol aimed at safety. Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Robert “Buzz” Patterson mentioned that the more concerning issue was the leak of Trump’s security plans to the media, which, he noted, heightened risks for the president and others traveling with him.

Patterson expressed a hope for a thorough investigation, suggesting that the person behind the leak likely held a significant position and was closely involved in the security process, which raises serious concerns.

In the midst of this, the BBC reported that a few senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, remained on Air Force One and knew about the changes at the time.

Over the past week, Iranian media outlets and social media users have made fun of Trump. An Iranian television newsreader suggested that the plane switch was a “humiliation” for him. They also ridiculed him in social media posts, insinuating that he might soon be hiding or escaping in less dignified ways.

Ali Baez from the International Crisis Group noted that Iranian hardliners are taking satisfaction in the fact that the U.S. was visibly anxious about Trump’s safety, particularly in light of prior assassination threats.