The Strange Way A Tree Stand Caused Trouble For Donald Trump And Air Force One

President Donald Trump and airplanes have a bit of a spotty history. There was the time in 2023 when Trump's plane had to make an emergency landing after an engine failed shortly after takeoff. Ever the businessman, Trump tried to cash in on the plane crisis by asking supporters to fund the remodeling of his jet, but he needn't have bothered. The president was given a Boeiing jet from Qatar in May 2025, causing concern over the legality of such an expensive gift. Now comes news of a discovery that Trump's presidential plane may have been targeted for attack.

On October 17, 2025, Secret Service agents in Palm Beach spotted a small platform that had been positioned about 12 feet from the ground in the branches of an oak tree. The stand appeared to be similar to the ones hunters use as a base while they wait for their target to come by. But some fear the platform was meant for someone stalking bigger prey, especially since the location is directly within sight of the spot at Palm Beach International Airport where Air Force One is parked. Even professional iguana hunter Mike Kimmel confirmed to local TV station WPBF that the stand isn't what an average person would use to seek out lizards. "It's in kind of a suspicious spot," said Kimmel, also known as Python Cowboy. "It's right in the very first bit of trees where you could conceal yourself — and you'd be able to see Donald Trump's plane. His plane's parked right there." Kimmel also told the outlet that the platform had been there at least since 2023.

The FBI is investigating the mysterious object. Even if it turns out to be an innocent sightseeing perch, the incident still highlights the dangers faced by world leaders every day.

As Shakespeare famously wrote in "Henry IV, Part II," "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." Of course, one would never dare to call President Trump a king (right?), but he carries the same worries as any other major head of state. His role exposes him to the possibility of attack anytime he appears in public, despite his constant security detail. The 2024 assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania is a case in point; even though the president was surrounded by Secret Service agents as he spoke at the campaign event, it was only his change of position that kept him from being fatally struck by a sniper's bullet. 

The discovery of the tree stand near Air Force One is another example. No one was spotted on or near the little platform, but the fact that it had gone unnoticed for two years brought up fresh concerns for Trump's safety. Security was beefed up around the airport, and when the president had occasion to fly just days later, he used a small flight of stairs to board Air Force One, moving quickly as if to minimize any exposure to danger. 

In addition to the serious threats and less dire ones (such as the malfunctioning escalator in the United Nations lobby), Trump's advancing age may also be weighing on his mind. On more than one occasion, Trump has joked about the afterlife, suggesting he's insecure about his chances of making it to heaven when the time comes. The Secret Service can guard him from attackers hiding in trees, but there's nothing in the Bible about security patrols at the Pearly Gates.