EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump's 'Secret Inner Circle' Revealed After Decoy Mission

Donald Trump took only a tightly selected group of his most trusted aides aboard the secret military flight that spirited him out of Turkey – leaving even senior members of his cabinet traveling aboard a decoy Air Force One, Radaronline.com can reveal.

The extraordinary operation unfolded after Trump's visit to Ankara for a NATO summit last month, when US officials determined there was a credible threat to Air Force One.

Trump publicly boarded an older presidential aircraft that was due to fly from Turkey to Britain, before secretly leaving it and transferring to a military jet as part of an elaborate security operation.

A US official told us in an exclusive interview the identities of those chosen to accompany Trump offered a rare glimpse of the "secret inner circle" of aides considered indispensable when the president's movements had to be kept secret.

The source described the passenger list as an unusually small group drawn from Trump's closest operational and personal staff, while several of the administration's most senior figures remained aboard the decoy aircraft.

Among those traveling secretly with Trump are believed to be White House aides Natalie Harp, Dan Scavino and Walt Nauta, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Harp is one of Trump's most constant aides, while Nauta – renowned as Trump's longtime "body man" – now heads Oval Office operations.

Scavino, a deputy White House chief of staff and head of presidential personnel, has worked closely with Trump for years and has overseen his social media operation. Their presence aboard the military aircraft was previously reported by CBS NEWS.

Hegseth was an exception to the secrecy surrounding the passengers.

He was seen publicly boarding the military jet – an apparently deliberate part of the deception intended to disguise Trump's eventual transfer.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were instead placed aboard the older Air Force One alongside journalists and other administration officials.

Our insider said: "Those who went with Trump truly are his secret inner circle. The fact they were considered important enough to be spirited away with him in a clandestine manner shows that."

Trump had publicly explained the unusual aircraft choice by saying he wanted to take the older plane "for old times' sake" during the journey from Turkey to Britain.

Behind the scenes, however, the arrangements were significantly more complicated.

Trump boarded the decoy aircraft in view of cameras before secretly leaving it using a catering container raised and lowered by a hydraulic lift, according to sources.

Journalists traveling aboard the decoy were instructed to lower their window shades without being told why.

The order prevented them from seeing Trump leave the aircraft during the covert transfer.

The decoy is also thought to have carried senior policy adviser Stephen Miller, White House communications director Steven Cheung, staff secretary Will Scharf, deputy national security adviser Michael Needham, deputy chief of staff Richard Walters and aide Christopher Ambrosini.

Members of the White House advance team are also thought to have been aboard.

The division of Trump's entourage meant Rubio and Bessent – despite holding two of the administration's most senior cabinet positions – are thought to have been separated from the president, while Harp, Scavino and Nauta are said to have remained with him during the secret journey.