President Donald Trump’s official helicopter had to conduct an emergency landing in the United Kingdom due to a hydraulic issue at the conclusion of his state visit. Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, was aboard the Marine One helicopter on their way back to the US when the pilot decided to make the unscheduled landing. The White House explained that the helicopter landed at a local airfield as a precautionary measure after detecting a minor hydraulic problem. Subsequently, the couple transferred to a support helicopter to resume their journey from the Prime Minister’s country estate at Chequers to London’s Stansted airport, where Air Force One awaited their return.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, “The pilots landed at a local airfield due to a minor hydraulic issue, as a precautionary measure, before proceeding to Stansted airport.” Trump and the First Lady safely boarded the support helicopter following the incident, resulting in a delay of approximately 20 minutes upon their arrival.
During the final day of Trump’s state visit, Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the press at Chequers, emphasizing the collaborative efforts between the UK and US to exert pressure on Vladimir Putin to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine. Trump expressed disappointment in Putin for escalating attacks on Ukraine, stating that he believed resolving the conflict would be straightforward but was let down by the Russian leader.
While the visit proceeded smoothly, differences emerged between the two leaders as Trump proposed military intervention to address illegal migration via small boats, cautioning that it could have devastating effects on countries. Trump also revealed a disagreement with the Prime Minister regarding the UK’s intention to recognize a Palestinian state. Additionally, he encouraged the UK to tap into its North Sea oil and gas reserves, advocating for his own energy policies and dismissing wind power as overly expensive.
Receive email updates with the latest news stories.
