The big news on X today isn't that it's Election Day in several key states, but that President Donald Trump pulled the old switcheroo on a flight from Turkey, boarding Air Force One in full view of cameras, slipping out the far side into a catering truck, and transferring to another military transport. This was all done due to a credible assassination threat from Iran, and as our own Sam J. reported earlier, CNN's Jake Tapper took great offense that White House staffers and reporters were left on Trump's death jet. Tapper was still going on about it:
Flew to Afghan. w/different president on AF1. An insurgent missile struck Bagram runway before landing. Weather was bad so planned Marine 1 trip to Kabul scrubbed. We were w/president the whole time. Our safety wasn’t treated any differently from his. We were never decoys.
— Jake Tapper 🦅 (@jaketapper) August 11, 2026
What happened to Katy Tur's summation that journalists were like firefighters rushing toward the burning flames? Tapper learned that the press's safety is treated differently from that of the president of the United States. The Secret Service exists to protect him, not staffers or reporters.
What monstrous thing did Trump do by switching planes? Did I miss a meeting?
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) August 11, 2026
We could fill the whole site today with people outraged that Trump used the press as "decoys," but we'll start with just a few. The Bulwark's Sam Stein was also incredulous:
So the reporters were left on a plane that the White House knew was being credibly targeted with threats serious enough that they removed the president?
— Sam Stein (@samstein) August 11, 2026
Also, what food was on the catering truck?
We don't know what food was on the catering truck because the press wasn't there to leak the details for a change.
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CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter thought this exchange from David Axelrod was worthy of a post:
It's "stunning to think that all those on the [regular] plane were sort of a decoy, and were not told that the president wasn't on board, and that the deception was continued even after he was safely returned to Washington. And that's hard for me to understand." —@davidaxelrod pic.twitter.com/V0TWp3fUkr
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) August 11, 2026
It’s literally impossible for you idiots to not make it about yourselves.
— No more mean tweets 📟 (@AndrewDeikel) August 11, 2026
They'll all award each other "I Survived Air Force One" trophies at next year's White House Correspondents' Dinner.
I’ll mansplain for you. The President is important. All the other people are less important. You prissy fat self important cunt.
— davidanthonytylerIV (@davetylerdat4) August 11, 2026
The ruse had to be believable and if the press got off the plane, it wouldn’t have worked.
— Nic Z (@z649278) August 11, 2026
Simple answer, the press leaks.
— Susan McChesney (@SuzMcChesney28) August 11, 2026
They can’t trust you cucks to keep your mouths shut. Plain and simple.
— BadR.O.I🇺🇸 (@EJT2271) August 11, 2026
The press sucks and nobody likes you or trust you. You idiots would have announced the change to everyone and put him in jeopardy.
— Jay Butler (@butler_jai88495) August 11, 2026
As we've noticed recently, TMZ has been getting more and more into politics, with Harvey Levin most recently posting a video of himself crying that the Anthony Fauci hearing was "heartbreaking" and McCathyesque. Levin, too, took great offense at the Secret Service keeping the president safe.
🚨🎥 If the threat was serious enough that President Trump wouldn’t fly on the original Air Force One, why was the plane allowed to take off with reporters, White House staff, and crew onboard? pic.twitter.com/Evkf8cMFX7
— TMZ (@TMZ) August 11, 2026
Oh FFS, shut up.
— Katie Scarlett (@Katiescarlet2) August 11, 2026
Hahahaha! The story isn’t about the reporters. It’s about a credible assassination threat on the President from a foreign country. Sheeesh.
— BKS (@BrianKSouthard) August 11, 2026
Journalism is seriously out of touch
They know the risk. He warned them not long ago. He is at risk every day. The media stokes it
— snooze (@snooze06155136) August 11, 2026
Probably for the same reason that the Secret Service provides protection for him and not for the reporters who cover him.
— Gerry (@GerryDales) August 11, 2026
Because no one cares about reporters. They’re as expendable as weeds.
— The Honorable Harry Noze (@mogul518315) August 11, 2026
Simple, all reporters are expendable.
— Chasinnova2 (@chasinnova2) August 11, 2026
We really do hate you.
They weren’t after the reporters, Sherlock. Get over yourselves…
— JUSTICE IS COMING ...🇺🇸🍊 (@shelleywilde1) August 11, 2026
Someone should put together a support group for all of the reporters who were on that flight so they could talk about their shared trauma and get it all out.
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