Former President Donald J. Trump claimed he was in a dangerous helicopter landing with Willie Brown, despite Mr. Brown’s denial. Trump insisted he had records to prove it during a phone call to a New York Times reporter while landing in Billings, Mont.
The incident occurred after a mechanical issue forced Trump to land hours away from his planned rally in Bozeman, Mont. He criticized The Times for its coverage of his news conference at Mar-a-Lago, where he recounted the emergency landing during a helicopter trip with Mr. Brown.
However, Mr. Brown denied ever flying in a helicopter with Trump. It seems Trump may have confused Willie Brown with Jerry Brown, the former governor of California, with whom he flew in 2018 to survey wildfire damage in the state. Jerry Brown clarified that there was no emergency landing or discussion of Kamala Harris during their trip.
Willie Brown, a former boyfriend of Vice President Kamala Harris, had known Trump as a potential business associate in the 1990s. Trump claimed to have flight records of the helicopter landing in a field and threatened legal action against The Times. Despite his insistence, he had not provided the flight records by early Friday evening.
Trump has a history of making claims without providing evidence to support them. He had previously mentioned the helicopter incident in his 2023 book, “Letters to Trump,” where he described the emergency landing as a scary experience for both him and Mr. Brown.
It remains to be seen whether Trump will follow through on his threat of legal action or release the flight records to substantiate his claims. The controversy adds another layer to the ongoing investigations into the former president’s activities.