Ex-Clinton aide warns that revealing Air Force One decoy ops could threaten future presidents

Retired Lt. Col. Buzz Patterson, who carried Clinton's nuclear football, says long-standing Air Force One deception tactics—decoys, aircraft swaps, escort jets and even catering-truck movements—are designed to protect presidents and the continuity of government. He alleges a leak exposing how these playbooks work came from someone highly placed and warns that public details could endanger future leaders, crews and traveling journalists. The report notes Trump used decoy planes and a protective escort on a 2026 Ankara trip; Patterson stresses that exposing such procedures is dangerous and could force planners to abandon high-risk overseas trips in the future.