Broadcaster Piers Morgan has reacted to footage which seemingly proves US President Donald Trump was smuggled off Air Force One via a catering truck in Turkey last month. The drastic measure came following an Iranian assassination threat. He is seen boarding the jet as usual and waving to cameras before he was apparently snuck into the truck in order to fly out on a smaller military jet.
Morgan's Five-Word Reaction
The clip was published by Fox & Friends on X and the seasoned journalist had a mere five word reaction to it. Sharing the video to his own page he commented: "This really is quite astonishing."
As the clip plays a reporter explains what viewers are watching. "This was the shot that took place last month. Trump boarded the old Air Force One jumbo jet, leaving the NATO summit in Turkey. The Washington Post reporting because of an Iranian threat, the president was shuttled away in an airport catering truck."
Details of the Maneuver
"Those are typically used to move meals and other supplies on board pre-flight. Fox has not been able to independently confirm that the president was actually on a catering truck. But according to the Post, the president was then taken to a different, smaller plane, an Air Force C-32A," they said.
At the time it was reported the jet flew to a US military base in the United Kingdom without the US leader on board. However, a senior official told the New York Times that the president never actually boarded the aircraft. Instead, it is claimed Trump was conveyed via a food cart fitted into the underside of the plane to a third aircraft, aboard which he travelled in complete secrecy to the UK.
Official Responses
The highly classified manoeuvre was initially reported by the Washington Post, though a White House spokesperson declined to respond to requests for comment. Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, had previously hinted that a threat against the president may have existed during his departure from Turkey.
"As the president has said recently, there are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal - including distraction and misdirection - to address those threats," Cheung said at the time. The White House's readiness to mislead the press regarding Trump's departure indicates they considered the threat from Iran to be genuine.
