Iranians Knew Which Floor Trump Was On
The New York Times reveals that U.S. intelligence received multiple warnings during the Ankara summit about a possible Iranian attack, including a surface-to-air missile threat.
The New York Times reveals that U.S. intelligence received multiple warnings during the Ankara summit about a possible Iranian attack, including a surface-to-air missile threat.
According to The New York Times, on July 8, 2026, former U.S. President Donald Trump flew out of Ankara from the NATO summit aboard a smaller military aircraft after U.S. intelligence sources received a tip about a potential threat originating from Iran.
He was transported to the aircraft in a food delivery truck, while staff and journalists left Turkey aboard the official Air Force One, the plane normally used by the U.S. president.
Trump confirmed on Tuesday that he changed his flight plan at the request of his advisors. "They wanted me to take a different flight, a different plane... I do what they say. I guess there was a threat. I didn't ask too many questions. I get a lot of threats you don't know about. Every significant president gets them," Trump said on Tuesday.
According to information from two U.S. officials familiar with the matter, intelligence agencies received multiple pieces of information during Trump's stay in Ankara that pointed to a possible attack.
Among that information was one that indicated a specific risk of a surface-to-air missile attack, which would be aimed at Air Force One or any other aircraft carrying the president. Additionally, intelligence officials discovered that an individual near the summit venue had been seen with a portable, shoulder-launched missile system.
According to the same officials, the Iranians knew where Trump was, including which floor of the building the president was on.
Meanwhile, allies met on August 12, 2026, at the North Atlantic Council to discuss recent drone incidents and airspace violations in Poland and Romania. They expressed support for the affected allies and reiterated that Russia bears full responsibility for the violations, NATO announced on X.
On the same day, Portugal concluded its Air Policing mission in Estonia, where Portuguese F-16s supported NATO's air defense and helped secure the Baltic region.
