Vietor took to X, describing an image of Trump hiding from an Iranian threat in a catering cart as “devastating.” He criticized Trump as a “weak, stupid old man” who was avoiding the consequences of his own decisions while putting others at risk.
In a subsequent post, Vietor questioned Trump’s morality, accusing him of bombing a school full of Iranian girls without acknowledgment, and then hiding while his team acted as decoys. “Pipe down about morality, ICE propagandist,” he commented.
Reports suggest that those on the plane were unaware of any potential danger and believed Trump was on board with them.
Trump, upon receiving information about the alleged threat, opted for the old Air Force One “for old time’s sake” instead of a luxury Qatari jet, even broadcasting his boarding of the plane. However, it was reported that before departure, Trump concealed himself in a catering truck, typically used for loading in-flight meals, and was then transported to an Air Force C-32A plane, according to The Washington Post.
The plane then flew him from Turkey, where he had attended the NATO Summit, to the United Kingdom.
Later, White House communications director Steven Cheung hinted at a security concern but did not specify any direct threat to Trump’s life.
“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 stated.
Switching from the Qatari jet to the old Air Force One was seen by some as a strategic decision after Trump faced criticism for choosing luxury over safety. Although some sources claimed it was a precautionary measure, they downplayed any concerns about the plane’s functionality.
After acquiring the jet, the Air Force reportedly acknowledged that it lacked the security features of Air Force One, as mentioned in The New York Times.
Nonetheless, Cheung dismissed worries about Trump’s continued use of the new jet. He assured, “The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols that ensure the safety of the President and his staff.”
Vietor wasn’t the only critic of Trump’s handling of the security risks. Senate Democrats had previously voiced concerns that the Qatari jet was not adequately secure. Thirteen Democratic senators sent a letter to the president expressing these concerns, which were ultimately disregarded.
Trump had previously acknowledged a security threat from Iran, claiming Israeli sources had informed him of a potential assassination attempt, declaring him “number one on the kill list for Iran.”
On Truth Social, he proclaimed that “1000 Missiles are Locked and Loaded and aimed at the Islamic Republic of Iran, with thousands more to immediately follow, should the Iranian Government act on its threat, pronounced in many corners of the Globe, to assassinate, or attempt to assassinate, the sitting President of the United States of America, in this case, ME!”
He continued, “Orders have already been given, and the U.S. Military is ready, willing, and able, for a one-year period of time, subject to extension, to completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran – PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!”
