A retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel who previously carried the nuclear “football” says he believes a highly placed leaker is behind reporting about an Air Force One swap during President Donald Trump’s trip from Ankara, Turkey, last month. In comments highlighted by multiple outlets, Robert Patterson says the account “scares the hell out of me.”
Patterson’s remarks frame the issue as both a security concern and a breach of confidentiality around presidential movements. The reporting he references describes an “extraordinary” aircraft diversion meant to protect the president, with details published afterward. Fox News emphasizes Patterson’s suggestion that the information came from someone inside the system, while the New York Post focuses on the claim that the departure involved shell-like measures to safeguard Trump.
Across coverage, the core points are that Patterson is a former nuclear-munitions bearer, he reacts strongly to the published Air Force One swap account, and he attributes the leak to an insider. Neither outlet’s summary provides independent verification of who leaked the information or additional official details beyond Patterson’s statements.
