via BBC News — Donald Trump secretly swapped planes as he left a Nato summit in Turkey last month, deceiving even the press pool who flew on board without him.

President Donald Trump has defended his decision to stow away in an airport catering container in Turkey to switch to a secret secondary plane following a threat from Iran. The move, described as unprecedented in modern American history, involved the Secret Service and military advising him to use a smaller aircraft for travel to the UK while using Air Force One and the accompanying press corps as a decoy. Upon arriving in Britain, Trump sneaked back aboard the main presidential plane undetected before returning to the United States. Security experts noted that this weeks-long concealment of his whereabouts and separation from the press pool was highly unusual, as previous leaders typically confirmed their status once immediate dangers had passed. Trump claimed he faced greater risks during the operation, emphasizing the need for heightened security measures. The incident has sparked debate about presidential transparency and the extent of covert operations undertaken for safety. While such tactics are not entirely new, the scale and secrecy of this particular maneuver have drawn significant attention, highlighting tensions between national security protocols and public accountability.

US President Donald Trump's Marine One helicopter came within an unsafe distance of a passenger jet over Washington DC, prompting an FAA investigation. The incident occurred as the presidential aircraft departed from the Ellipse heading to Trump's Las Vegas property. Flight data revealed the two planes were just 1.2 km horizontally and 200 metres vertically apart, far below the minimum separation standard. Air traffic controllers warned the helicopter crew after the aircraft failed to receive clearance before take-off. While the White House confirmed Trump was never in danger, the incident highlights ongoing safety concerns for presidential flights. This follows a deadly 2025 mid-air collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and passenger jet near Ronald Reagan National Airport. Despite tightened safety measures post-disaster, presidential flights remain exempt from these restrictions. The FAA is now investigating the loss of separation, raising questions about aviation safety protocols around Washington DC.

Trump's first six months of travel mirrored Biden's in frequency (49 vs 45 trips), but included more...

via The Hill News — The decision to have President Trump fly part of the way home on an old Air Force One instead of his newly refurbished and gifted plane from Qatar is raising questions about just how secure the new Air Force One really is. The White House largely brushed off the decision, saying an abundance of caution…