One unnamed White House reporter told the Post: “When you sign up to work at the White House, even as a civilian, part of your job is to defend the President. That’s not my job. I cover the President. Reporters take risks as part of the job but not on behalf of the President.”

There was a credible Iranian threat to the President, a US official told the paper. Dispatches sent by pool media on board noted a Secret Service order that window shades be lowered during take-off – an unusual instruction outside of combat zones.

Trump’s trip to the Nato summit in Turkey had already raised eyebrows after he arrived on a luxury Boeing 747 gifted by Qatar and retrofitted to carry the President.

But it was reportedly not fitted with anti-missile security systems and the old Air Force One was called into action.

The President claimed at the time that the new plane was being sent ahead for US troops in Britain to tour, as a treat.

At a stopover in Britain, he returned to the Qatar-gifted plane for the flight to Washington.

Asked at the time why media had been asked to lower window shades he said “because you’re probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleaze bags that we have to deal with”.

Trump joked with reporters: “If I go, you go. Right?. Perhaps someday you want to change professions.”

The White House has yet to respond directly to the alleged plane swap.

White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement: “There are many enemies of America who have their sights on him, and we use every tool at our disposal to address those threats.”

– AFP