Retired General Breaks Down the Iranian Threats That Would Force Trump Off His New Plane

(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

ABC News anchor Kyra Phillips spoke to network military contributor retired Gen. Robert Abrams on Wednesday about why President Donald Trump would switch planes while leaving the NATO summit earlier in the day.

“Those questions from two of the reporters about the president ditching his new Air Force One and flying out of Ankara another way — very interesting, because something’s hinky, clearly,” Phillips began, noting Trump was pressed earlier by reporters on why he didn’t leave Turkey on his new plane – a controversial gift from Qatar.

“Do we think that it’s the security around the airport, threats from Iran to target the president there in Ankara, possibly the new Air Force One not being totally equipped? So there might be security concerns about him flying off in the new Air Force One. What are your thoughts?” Phillips asked.

“Well, Kyra, I think — well, first off, I think anything with regard to the airplane’s enhancements, or lack thereof, would be pure speculation by anyone. Those are closely guarded, classified programs for Air Force One, so I won’t even speculate on that,” Abrams replied, adding:

I think it largely has to do with a lack of, maybe not top-level, security and the ability to secure Air Force One on the ground in Ankara. Oftentimes we think of standoff just from a human-being perspective — preventing some terrorist from throwing a grenade or shooting an RPG at Air Force One.

But threats today are much more sophisticated: electromagnetic threats, optical threats, infrared threats. There are all sorts of threats, and standoff from those threats is difficult, especially in and around that airport. I’ve flown in and out of there, and it was probably a concern. So — and it had to be significant enough, I think, in this case — for President Trump to agree not to fly out on it. As we know, he’s very proud of that new plane, so it must have been something significant.

Watch the clip above.

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