In this CBS News appearance, Elliot Ackerman analyzes reports that President Donald Trump secretly switched aircraft while departing Turkey because of a potential Iranian threat to Air Force One.

The Stakes of an Iranian Attack

Ackerman argues that an attack on Air Force One, even if the president were not aboard, could fundamentally alter the conflict by forcing a major U.S. response. He warns that regional wars can escalate quickly when attacks involve national leaders or symbols of state power.

Presidential Security and Strategic Risk

The discussion examines the Secret Service operation used to protect President Trump, the implications of that security maneuver becoming public, and the tension between operational secrecy and press access to the president.

Iran’s Growing Leverage

Ackerman also assesses the broader direction of the war, arguing that Iran has gained leverage by prolonging the conflict and shifting attention toward the Strait of Hormuz and regional economic pressure.

A Conflict That Could Expand

Rather than becoming a short, decisive campaign, Ackerman suggests the war may be evolving into a prolonged strategic contest in which political timing, escalation, and public opinion matter as much as battlefield outcomes.