In a recent development, Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, has found himself embroiled in controversy over claims of a perilous helicopter ride with Willie Brown, the former mayor of San Francisco. This assertion has been met with firm denials and contradictions from several key figures involved.
Trump insists he embarked on a dangerous helicopter journey with Brown, who served as San Francisco's mayor from 1996 to 2004. However, Brown has categorically dismissed this claim as "fiction," stating he has never been in a helicopter with the former president.
Adding to the confusion, Jerry Brown, who served two separate terms as California's governor, and current Governor Gavin Newsom have confirmed a helicopter ride with Trump in 2018. This flight was to survey the devastation caused by the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, which stands as the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state's history.
Trump has asserted possession of flight records to substantiate his claim, promising to release them. However, as of August 9, 2024, neither Trump nor his campaign have provided these records, despite requests from prominent news organizations such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.
The controversy deepened when Trump made an angry call to The New York Times, a newspaper founded in 1851 and known for its political reporting. This call occurred as his plane was diverted due to mechanical issues while en route to a rally in Bozeman, Montana, a city known for its proximity to Yellowstone National Park.
"I went down in a helicopter with him. We thought maybe this is the end ... So I know him pretty well. I mean, I haven't seen him in years. But he told me terrible things about her."
Trump's account has been further challenged by a spokesperson for Governor Newsom, who reiterated that the 2018 flight was uneventful and that Vice President Kamala Harris, who assumed office in 2021, was not a topic of discussion. The spokesperson also noted that Trump repeatedly expressed concerns about crashing and mistakenly referred to Paradise as "Pleasure" multiple times.
Jerry Brown, in an email through his spokesperson, described the ride as "lively" but "utterly safe," emphasizing that Harris was never mentioned during the flight.
Meanwhile, Willie Brown has not only denied the alleged helicopter ride but also praised Harris as highly qualified for the presidency. In an interview with KPIX, a CBS-owned television station serving the San Francisco Bay Area, Brown mocked Trump for fabricating the story.
As this controversy unfolds, it raises questions about the accuracy of Trump's recollections and the potential implications of making unsubstantiated claims. The situation continues to evolve, with many awaiting the promised release of flight records to clarify the matter definitively.