Administration

Trump issues fundraising email about ‘Trump Force One’ after emergency landing

by Sarakshi Rai

Former President Trump’s campaign sent out a fundraising email titled “Update: Trump Force One” just days after a jet flying him to Mar-a-Lago made an emergency landing when one of its engines failed.

Trump, through his Save America PAC, sent his supporters an email titled “Update: Trump Force One” in which he said that “my team is building a BRAND NEW Trump Force One.”

He added that the construction of this plane has been under wraps and said “I can’t wait to unveil it for everyone to see.”

The fundraising email said he had “a very important update on his plane” and asked potential donors if they remember how the former president used to travel across the U.S. in his own “Trump Force One” before he became “the greatest President of all time.” 

The email included a GIF of a plane taking off with a poll giving donors “yes” or “no” options if they wanted to see his new plane.

The poll links to a donation page that asks supporters to “Contribute ANY AMOUNT IMMEDIATELY to send your response to President Trump!”
 
The fundraising email does not explicitly ask supporters for money to pay for the new plane.
 
Days after this story was published, Trump called The Hill to say that he would not use campaign funds for a new plane.
 
The former president was traveling back to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla., from the Four Seasons Hotel in New Orleans in a private jet when the pilot decided to turn around and return to the airport after an engine failed. The news was first reported by Politico and The Washington Post.
 
The jet, a Dassault Falcon 900, was given to Trump by a donor for the evening to travel back from the Republican National Committee retreat in New Orleans to his home in Florida.
 
Trump’s personal Boeing 757 was a staple during his 2016 presidential campaign.
 
Last year, it was reported that his Boeing 757 was sitting unused at an Orange County, N.Y., airport unable to be flown.
 
The full-size passenger airliner, which bears Trump’s name across the side in large block letters, has fallen into disrepair. One engine is shrink-wrapped and the other is missing parts, according to CNN. 
 
This story was updated on March 13 at 4:18 p.m. to include a colon in the phrase “Update: Trump Force One,” and to note that the email does not explicitly ask donors to contribute to the plane. 
 
This story was updated on March 14 at 6:16 p.m. to reflect a call Trump made to The Hill saying he would not use campaign funds to pay for his plane.
 
 

Administration