Trump's Air Force One Switcheroo: Reporter Rips White House For Lack of Transparency

A reporter who unknowingly became a decoy during an Iranian assassination threat against President Trump is demanding more transparency from the White House ... because it took weeks for the press corps to learn Trump secretly slipped away from the Air Force One flight they thought he was accompanying them on.

Gram Slattery -- a Reuters reporter -- joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday to discuss the bombshell Washington Post story about Trump sneaking off AF1 via an airport catering truck due to a security threat leaving Turkey.

Gram was among the journalists and Trump staffers who were essentially used as bait on the decoy flight ... and he says there was a request from the Secret Service to close their blinds at one point -- a request which members of the media grumbled about at the time as well -- which may have helped Trump's great escape.

He says he's surprised by all the subterfuge ... explaining, in other situations, the Secret Service will provide information to journalists that is either off the record or embargoed until after the security threat has passed.

That obviously didn't happen here ... and Gram says it's frustrating because journalists -- especially foreign correspondents -- are used to danger. However, usually they're aware when they're at risk ... not so in this situation.

BTW ... Gram also happens to be the reporter who Trump told, "If I go, you go," when asked about the potential security threat ... and he's got a noteworthy reaction to Trump's comment in hindsight.

We also spoke with Richard Staropoli -- a retired Secret Service agent -- who says the White House staff not informing the press speaks volumes about the relationship between Trump and the media.

Richard says this kinda stuff happens all the time ... and he even took part in similar clandestine ops with past presidents. That said, he thinks the White House should've had a better response to the press ... instead of resounding silence.