Trump's helicopter Marine One makes emergency landing in UK. What happened?
Donald Trump and first lady Melania switched to a local support helicopter after Marine One landed safely at an airfield.
US President Donald Trump's helicopter, Marine One, was forced to make an emergency landing at a local airfield on its way back from Chequers to London's Stansted Airport.
Trump and First Lady Melania had to switch from Marine One to a local support helicopter after landing safely at the airfield, Fox News reported.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the switch was done due to a "minor hydraulic issue".
"Out of an abundance of caution, the pilots landed at a local airfield before reaching Stansted Airport. The president and the first lady safely boarded the support helicopter," Leavitt said.
Though the flight time was meant to be 20 minutes, the snag resulted in Trump and Melania spending nearly 40 minutes travelling to the airport.
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Leavitt said that Trump and Melania were later able to board Air Force One for their return journey from the UK.
While speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump reportedly joked about having a safe flight. "Fly safely," he said.
"You know why I say that? Because I'm on the flight. I want to get home, otherwise, I wouldn't care," he was quoted as saying by The Sun.
Trump's state visit to Britain
Trump left the UK after completing a two-day state visit to the Britain, wherein he basked in royal pageantry and welcome from the royal family. He, along with Melania, attended a banquet dinner with King Charles and the royal family.
Trump met UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers, where the duo also held a joint press conference. The two leaders signed what they called a historic agreement on science and technology.
In their private talks, Trump and Starmer discussed the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and the US tariffs on steel imported from Britain.
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Trump hailed America's "unbreakable bond" with Britain. "The bond between our countries is like no other anywhere in the world,” he said. The President said that the US and the UK have "done more good for the planet than any other nation in history".
Starmer also joined the bonhomie and said, "Time and time again, it is British and American men and women, side by side, changing the path of history and turning it towards our values, towards freedom, democracy and the rule of law.”
Trump said that one of his few disagreements with Starmer was over the UK's plan to recognise a Palestinian state. He also raked up the immigration policy row and urged Britain to take a harder line.
He insisted that he made it clear to Starmer that when too many people enter illegally, it "destroys countries from within". Trump further said, "I told the prime minister I would stop it", even if it meant calling in the military.
Trump's final day in Britain saw him bidding farewell to the king and queen at Windsor Castle and flying by helicopter to Chequers for a ceremonial honour guard with bagpipers, a nod to the US President's Scottish heritage, and a parachute demonstration.
Trump was also shown the archive of wartime leader Winston Churchill, who coined the term "special relationship" for the bond between the two nations.
