US Presidents Use Decoy Planes for Security During Foreign Trips

Donald Trump is not the first US president to use a decoy plane as a security measure during a foreign trip. Such highly secretive and dramatic steps have been taken to protect US presidents before. According to The Washington Post, in July, Trump secretly left Turkey on a military plane, while the White House publicly demonstrated that he was traveling in his traditional Air Force One aircraft. This step was taken to avoid potential threats from Iran. According to USA Today, former US President Bill Clinton also adopted a similar strategy during his visit to India and Pakistan in 2000. Clinton flew from India to Pakistan in an unmarked plane that followed the traditional Air Force One. The plan was kept secret until Clinton stepped out of the second plane after landing in Islamabad amid tight security. It was her brief six-hour visit to Pakistan. White House officials were making unusual arrangements with members of the press at the time.