OK, in an earlier post about President Donald Trump's aircraft switcheroo in Turkey, I said I'd only write one or maybe two more stories about it. It turns out that was a lie. There's one more post that I want to get to that I think ties a neat bow around everything.
First, I apologize to your eardrums, but here's Trump keeping the press in the dark about why they had to close their window blinds. Is the flight a target? Of course it is, but "if I go, you go." A very stern-looking Kaitlan Collins noted that no, that wasn't true. The president wasn't on board the same plane.
What President Trump told reporters the night he took a secret plane from Turkey to the UK about why they were asked to lower their window shades on the plane they thought he was also onboard: pic.twitter.com/MGn9rScPCX
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 11, 2026
Lighten up, Kaitlan. You weren't on the flight. You were back home in a studio with armed security.
The press was duped. Do you know why? Because if the Secret Service had let the press know its plans, they all would have been on their iPhones posting to X the breaking exclusive that the president wasn't on the plane. There was a minor hubbub last week when Secretary of War Pete Hegseth revoked the security clearance of Biden-era Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who leaked information about the new Air Force One.
BREAKING: Pentagon accuses Biden era Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall of being the leaker behind the security capabilities of the new Air Force One. https://t.co/G23W6yFEPK
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 7, 2026
"New Air Force One Lacks Defensive Countermeasures of Previous Model, Officials Say" read the headline in The New York Times. We're certain Iran appreciated the tip-off.
Collins had on as a guest The Washington Post's Dan Lamothe, who broke the switcheroo story.
Why/how did Trump's secret flight from Turkey leak? @DanLamothe to @kaitlancollins: "This came to the Post in part because individuals thought that there was a hole in public understanding here that needed to be clarified." pic.twitter.com/Ue1167zUx3
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 11, 2026
"There was a hole in public understanding that needed to be clarified." Anthony Fauci just invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times, and there's been no follow-up from the press.
Here's an open letter I want you to read from pilot Buzz Patterson, former carrier of the nuclear football and, more importantly, a writer at Twitchy sister-site RedState:
Open Letter to @wapo, @nytimes, @CNN, @SecretService, @DeptofWar, @PeteHegseth, @realDonaldTrump, @AGToddBlanche.
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) August 11, 2026
Why did the @wapo and @CNN release highly classified information simultaneously exposing the US and underpinning Iranian propaganda?
Why/how did Trump's secret…
The post continues:
… flight from Turkey leak?
I’ve personally been a key part of that cog, I know what transpired. And you need to know the significance of this leak. There’s nothing more precious in our nation than the protection of our Republic and our leaders.
@DanLamothe to @kaitlancollins: “This came to the Post in part because individuals thought that there was a hole in public understanding here that needed to be clarified.”
“A hole in public understanding” is precisely why we have classified programs. That’s WHY we have highly-limited access to programs that protect our Republic.
@CNN isn’t breaking some Watergate, “Deep Throat” stuff…they’re shooting for America…they’re targeting Trump…and they’re coming for you…and me.
Wake up, America. This isn’t “news.” This is subterfuge and it’s deadly.
As an addendum:
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) August 11, 2026
When I was the Air Force Military Aide to @BillClinton, we:
1) snuck the president to visit the troops deployed to Bosnia for Christmas Eve, 1997. Nobody knew.
2) we used the catering truck once to get Bill on AF-1. Nobody knew.
The differences? Nobody leaked… https://t.co/zbyTotVyzL
The post continues:
… trying to damage the president and these same “news agencies” were silent.
That’s the truth.
Plenty of people have pointed out that Bill Clinton pulled the same stunt, but according to The Washington Post, that was (D)ifferent.
Exclusive: President Clinton used a similar plane-change maneuver in 2000 as President Trump's July flight.
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 11, 2026
But unlike Trump’s flight, the press corps was briefed on the operation and its dangers. https://t.co/Vep5dWheFH
Because the press could be trusted to not leak anything that would put Clinton's life in danger.
— AdamInHTownTX (@AdamInHTownTX) August 12, 2026
The same cannot be said of today's legacy media with regard to Trump.
The difference is the press today have no ethics and leak like a sieve. You can’t be trusted
— bbnanny (@NanbumHall) August 11, 2026
That sounds like a huge OPSEC breach. But I guess Clinton could trust the press not to bray to the world about the how presidential security works during his term.
— Buckeeeee (@BuckeeBucsFan) August 11, 2026
Yep.
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