During that final flight, Trump spoke to reporters on board where he noted the threats posed by Iran but did not mention the earlier plane swap.

Asked why reporters had been told to lower the window shades on the plane from Turkey, Trump said at the time: "Because you're probably on a dangerous flight because of the sleazebags we have to deal with."

He said he had a "threat all the time" on his life, and that he is "number one" on Iran's "list".

Jose Zamora, regional director for the Americas for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement that the Trump administration "has a responsibility to ensure that journalists covering the president are not unnecessarily exposed to danger".

"Reporters should be informed of credible security threats so they can make informed decisions about their safety," he added.

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