Bill Maher, 70, Offers Brutal Theory on Trump’s Catering-Truck Escape

Live updates

1. 29d ago

   Trump Used Secret Military Jet to Exit Turkey Amid Assassination Threat

   Donald Trump secretly departed Turkey via a military jet after the Department of Justice identified a threat against Air Force One as an assassination attempt. Trump abandoned a group of journalists on the original presidential aircraft, leading to accusations that the press was duped by an elaborate ruse. While the DOJ frames the move as a security necessity, critics and journalists left behind argue they should have been warned before the plane switch occurred. Bill Maher has offered a theory regarding a catering truck involved in the escape.

   Why it matters

   The incident highlights tensions between the presidency and the traveling press corps over transparency during security crises. It raises questions about the legality and ethics of using military assets for deceptive departures. The DOJ's classification of the threat as an assassination attempt provides the official justification for the secrecy.

   What is confirmed

   • Donald Trump secretly used a military jet to leave Turkey.
   • The Department of Justice referred to the threat against Air Force One as an assassination attempt.
   • Journalists were left aboard the presidential plane after Trump switched aircraft.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Bill Maher claims Trump used a catering truck as part of his escape.

   What to watch next

   • Official government report on the specific nature of the Turkey threat
   • Response from the White House regarding the lack of warning to journalists
   Sources used for this update (8)

   1. The New York Times — An Elaborate Ruse: Trump Secretly Used Military Jet to Leave Turkey Amid Threats
   2. The Atlantic — The Flawed Logic of Trump’s Airplane Escape
   3. The New York Times — How Do You Report on a Presidential Ruse?
   4. thehill.com — DOJ refers to Air Force One threat as ‘assassination attempt’ in ballroom appeal
   5. The Washington Post — Trump secretly switched planes. The journalists left aboard say they deserved a warning.
   6. The Daily Beast — Bill Maher, 70, Offers Brutal Theory on Trump’s Catering-Truck Escape
   7. Reuters — 'If I go, you go, right?': Traveling on the presidential plane—without Trump
   8. New York Magazine — What to Do About Trump Duping the Press
   confidence 90%