Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is demanding an immediate classified briefing from the Trump administration after reports revealed that the Secret Service secretly transferred President Trump to a different military aircraft during his return from last month’s NATO summit in Turkey because of an alleged Iranian assassination threat.
In a post on X, the New York Democrat said lawmakers deserve a full explanation of the security concerns that prompted the extraordinary operation and any broader risks facing the United States.
“The Senate should be immediately briefed on the Iranian threats against the president, the extraordinary measures taken to get him out of Turkey, any risks posed to U.S. personnel, and any threat to the homeland,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, wrote on X.
According to a report by The Washington Post, President Trump initially boarded the older Air Force One for his flight from Turkey to the United Kingdom before being quietly moved to a smaller Air Force C-32A after intelligence raised concerns about a possible Iranian plot to assassinate him.
The report said the transfer was carried out without the knowledge of the traveling press corps. After boarding Air Force One, Trump reportedly exited the aircraft undetected by using a catering truck before boarding the smaller military jet, while reporters believed he had remained aboard the original aircraft.
Schumer sharply criticized the administration over the secrecy surrounding the operation, calling the lack of communication with Congress unacceptable and accusing the White House of withholding critical information about threats against the president and the wider conflict with Iran.
“Trump has put America’s sons and daughters in harm’s way by getting into an unnecessary and reckless war, and this administration has repeatedly refused to provide Congress and the public with the transparency they deserve,” Schumer said.
Schumer’s demand comes as the military confrontation between the United States and Iran enters its sixth month, with both sides continuing to exchange threats while diplomatic negotiations remain difficult, according to The Hill.
“Congress must reassert its constitutional authority and bring this war to an end,” Schumer said.
Both chambers of Congress have approved bipartisan War Powers resolutions urging the administration to scale back the conflict. President Trump and senior administration officials have rejected those measures, arguing that the War Powers Act is unconstitutional.
The reported aircraft switch has intensified scrutiny of how the administration is responding to Iranian threats against the president, while prompting lawmakers to seek more information about the intelligence that led to such extraordinary security measures and whether Congress should have been informed sooner.
Schumer’s call for an immediate briefing is also expected to deepen the ongoing dispute between the administration and Congress over presidential war powers, access to classified intelligence, and how much information lawmakers should receive regarding threats against the president and U.S. military personnel.
{Matzav.com}
