Executive assistant to U.S. President Donald Trump Natalie Harp attends a FIFA reception at Trump Tower in New York City, U.S., July 17, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
President Donald Trump sent social media into a frenzy Wednesday after reports revealed he abandoned Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a plane load of top officials on a "decoy" Air Force One — then quietly slipped away on a secret jet with his favorite aides.
According to the New York Times and other outlets, Trump switched planes as he left a summit in Turkey earlier this month, reportedly amid an Iranian assassination threat. The scheme included him being smuggled out in a catering truck while Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, adviser Stephen Miller and communications chief Steven Cheung stayed aboard the aircraft deemed too dangerous for the president. Trump boarded a smaller C-32A military jet.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined Trump on the jet, along with body man Walt Nauta, former caddy Dan Scavino, and executive assistant Natalie Harp — the aide nicknamed the "human printer" and who has mockingly been labeled Trump's "diaper nurse" by social media critics. The traveling press pool was kept in the dark.
The Times reported the setup left senior officials as what it framed as "sacrificial lambs" kept aboard a targeted plane, some reportedly without their knowledge.
And the internet had a field day with the news.
"The Secretary of State got to play decoy while Natalie Harp traveled in safety with Trump," wrote the popular account Angry Staffer, adding: "On brand."
Former Obama adviser Dan Pfeiffer piled on: "Trump potentially sacrificing Rubio to the Iranians while sparing Hegseth is something that I hope keeps Rubio up at night."
CNN analyst Aaron Blake wrote on X, "Really wondering how Rubio et. al. are feeling about this."
Sam Stein of the anti-Trump conservative outlet The Bulwark added on X, "they left Rubio on the AFI that was deemed to risky for POTUS but took Natalie Harp off the plane."
Xochitl Hinojosa, a Democratic strategist and frequent CNN commentator, jabbed Trump's fiery spokesman Steven Cheung on X.
"Explains why @StevenCheung47 lied to all of us! He was out of the loop! Poor guy!"