John Oliver Mocks Trump Plane Swap That Left Rubio, Bessent on Board

Q: Did the sudden resignation of the Press Secretary have any hidden ties to this bizarre international security incident?

There is no verified evidence that Karoline Leavitt’s resignation was tied to the Trump plane-security incident. Public statements from both Leavitt and President Trump said she is leaving at the end of the month to spend more time with her husband and two young children after returning from maternity leave. They also said she will remain involved as an outside adviser. Multiple reports repeat that explanation, and none provides documented proof of a link to the aircraft episode. The timing has invited speculation because her departure was announced shortly after reports emerged that Trump was quietly moved off the Qatari-gifted presidential jet in Turkey amid a possible Iranian threat. But the available reporting is careful on this point: no outlet cited here established a direct connection, and no official has said her exit was caused by the security incident. What is known about the flight is that it was treated as a serious enough security matter for the military and Secret Service to move Trump to another aircraft while other officials, staff and journalists remained on the original plane as part of a decoy operation. That raised questions about optics and risk, but those questions are separate from Leavitt’s stated reason for leaving. So, based on the evidence now in public, the answer is no: any “hidden tie” remains unproven, and the only confirmed explanation for her resignation is family-related.

3 articles · Updated · Variety · Aug 17

John Oliver used Sunday’s “Last Week Tonight” opener to ridicule Donald Trump’s secret plane swap after last month’s NATO summit in Turkey, focusing on reports that he slipped away in a catering truck.
The reported switch came after intelligence warned of a possible Iranian attempt on the Qatari-gifted Air Force One, sending Trump onto a smaller military jet for the flight home.
Oliver’s sharpest attack was that journalists and White House staffers were left on the original plane, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Karoline Leavitt’s resignation was noted in the segment as coming shortly after the incident, extending scrutiny of the episode amid headlines tied to the Iran war.