Secret Service Advised Trump to Skip Qatari Jet for UK Flight from Turkey

Trump unexpectedly switched back to the older Air Force One for his Turkey-to-UK leg after Secret Service advice, sparking a White House media dispute.

President Donald Trump's return flight from the NATO summit in Turkey to the United Kingdom took an unexpected turn when he departed aboard the older Air Force One rather than the Qatari-gifted jet he had used to travel to Turkey. According to people briefed on the situation, the Secret Service advised Trump to take the older aircraft for the leg to England, a change that was not publicly announced in advance. The switch drew attention partly because of the circumstances surrounding Iran-related tensions at the time of the summit. The White House, through communications director Steven Cheung, pushed back hard on coverage of the episode — specifically targeting Washington Post reporter Carol Leonnig, a Pulitzer Prize winner, whose reporting described the plane swap as driven by security concerns. Cheung called her 'a liar' and 'not a real journalist' in posts on X, and disputed her claim that the White House had declined to comment, saying statements were given to the New York Times, The Hill, and other outlets. In its official statement, the White House defended the Qatari-donated aircraft, describing it as 'a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols.' The tension between the administration's public posture — defending the plane — and the reported Secret Service guidance to avoid it on this particular flight sits at the center of the dispute.

Why it matters

The episode raises questions about the security vetting of a foreign-gifted aircraft being used as a presidential transport, a matter with direct implications for the safety of the U.S. president. The White House's aggressive public attack on a named reporter also highlights the administration's ongoing friction with major news outlets.

What's next

Watch for further reporting on whether the Secret Service's concerns about the Qatari jet prompt a formal review of its use as presidential transport.

Key facts

• Trump flew to Turkey for the NATO summit aboard the Qatari-gifted jet but switched to the older Air Force One for the flight to England
• The Secret Service advised Trump to take the older plane for the Turkey-to-UK leg, according to people briefed on the situation
• White House communications director Steven Cheung publicly called Carol Leonnig, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter, 'a liar' and 'not a real journalist' on X
• Cheung disputed Leonnig's claim that the White House declined to comment, saying statements were provided to the New York Times, The Hill, and other outlets
• The White House statement described the Qatari-donated aircraft as fitted with 'high-level security protocols'
• The flight change occurred amid what reporting described as escalating strikes on Iran during the NATO summit period

Bias & framing notes

Raw Story's framing centered heavily on the White House's aggressive response and Cheung's rhetoric, giving it an adversarial tone. The Guardian kept its report minimal and neutral, focusing on the factual plane swap. CBS News provided the most substantive new detail — Secret Service advice — citing people briefed on the situation, though those sources remain anonymous. The core fact of the plane switch is undisputed; the reason for it is where sourcing diverges, with the White House disputing security-concern framing while anonymous officials support it.

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