By now, you’ve seen the headlines.
Donald Trump secretly slipped off Air Force One in Turkey, was moved across the airport in a catering truck, and boarded another military aircraft while Marco Rubio, Scott Bessent, administration officials, and members of the press remained on the other plane.
The explanation we’re being given is that there was intelligence about a potential Iranian threat against Trump and that the Secret Service and military created an elaborate deception operation to get him safely out of Turkey.
Trump has now confirmed that the operation happened, saying he followed the instructions of the Secret Service and military.
There are real threats against Donald Trump. Iran has threatened him before, and I have no doubt the Secret Service takes those threats seriously.
But is that really the whole story?
Because after speaking with several people in and around Trump’s world, I’m hearing something very different.
Someone close to this world said something to me that stuck with me.
“Lev, you know Donald Trump better than most. Think about what he does when something leaks that he doesn’t want out.”
And he was right.
Think about what happened when The New York Times reported sensitive information about Trump’s Qatari Air Force One.
Trump didn’t confirm the story and move on.
His administration went looking for the leakers. The Justice Department sought records connected to New York Times reporters as part of an effort to identify their sources. His administration went after the leak and the people they believed were responsible for it.
That’s the Donald Trump I know.
When something gets out that he doesn’t want out, he doesn’t help the story along. He gets angry. He wants to know who talked. He attacks the leakers and goes after the press.
So why is this different?
One of the most extraordinary presidential security operations we’ve heard about suddenly becomes public, with incredible details about Trump being hidden in a catering truck and secretly moved onto another plane, and instead of Trump raging about the leak, he confirms it.
That’s what caught my attention.
And that’s when I started making calls.
What I’m Hearing
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