President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were forced to switch helicopters while headed toward London’s Stansted airport on Thursday due to a minor “hydraulic issue,” the White House said.
While making their return from Chequers, the country house of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the helicopter carrying the Trumps experienced a small “hydraulic” problem.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said “due to a minor hydraulic issue” the aircraft carrying the US president landed at Luton Airport.
She said the decision was taken “out of an abundance of caution”, adding that the US president “safely boarded the support helicopter” before continuing on to Stansted. Their arrival was delayed by several minutes.
Emergency services were seen at Luton following the landing. No injuries were reported.
At Stansted Trump boarded Air Force One and departed for Washington.
The president and first lady are making their way back to the U.S. after a two-day state visit across the pond. The Trumps spent Wednesday in Windsor, being showered with displays of pageantry by the Royal Family before attending a lavish state banquet that evening.
On Thursday, Trump met with the prime minister, where they signed a technology partnership agreement and held a press conference where they took questions from reporters.
While the two world leaders highlighted the U.S. and U.K.’s special relationship in the joint news conference, afterward, Trump told reporters on Air Force One he disagrees with Starmer on immigration and energy.
Trump also deviated from Starmer’s position on recognizing Palestine as an independent state.
After holding the news conference, Trump prepared to depart from the U.K. and head back home.
It is unclear what exactly the helicopter’s “minor” hydraulic issue was; the White House did not elaborate.
Helicopters often utilize hydraulic fluid power to operate flight controls and landing gear systems because it can deliver high pressure in a compact system, according to the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences.
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