Two senior members of President Donald Trump’s cabinet remained on a decoy Air Force One while he quietly shifted to a different aircraft in Turkey on July 8.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stayed aboard the original aircraft to protect the presidential line of succession, CBS News reported.
The base called the original aircraft "Air Force One", but it was used only as a decoy with the same call sign to conceal the President’s true exit plan.
Trump entered the flight with the officials and press, then concealed himself onto a catering truck for clandestine transfer to a military plane, a security measure over concerns involving Iran.
In case of any emergency, the Cabinet remained aboard to maintain the line of succession: Vice‑President J. D. Vance first, followed by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, with the Secretary of State and Treasury Secretary next.
Other officials aboard the decoy plane included White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and communications director Steven Cheung.
The White House has not yet commented, the BBC reports.
