Reporter breaks 26-year silence on briefing that preceded Clinton’s plane swap

Bill Clinton’s White House used a similar plane-change maneuver in 2000. But unlike Trump’s flight last month, the press was briefed on the operation and its dangers.

Posted Wednesday, August 12, 2026 10:39 am

Scott Nover | The Washington Post

When President Bill Clinton deplaned in Islamabad, Pakistan, the sleight of hand became clear.

A decoy jet with all of the markings of Air Force One touched down in view of the news media, and a Secret Service agent resembling the president emerged. Then, an unmarked plane landed, and the real president disembarked.

It was March 2000, and Susan Page, a White House reporter covering the trip for USA Today, was one of a small group of people who knew about the ruse.

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Reporter breaks 26-year silence on briefing that preceded Clinton’s plane swap

Bill Clinton’s White House used a similar plane-change maneuver in 2000. But unlike Trump’s flight last month, the press was briefed on the operation and its dangers.

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