**Donald Trump’s Marine One Helicopter Makes Emergency Landing at UK Airport**
Donald Trump’s Marine One helicopter made an emergency landing at a UK airport today with the US President and his wife Melania on board. The presidential chopper suffered a hydraulic issue while flying to Stansted Airport from the Prime Minister’s estate at Chequers, where Donald Trump had been meeting with Sir Keir Starmer for a joint press conference.
Officials said the aircraft put down at Luton Airport “out of an abundance of caution.” The US President, who has been in the UK for a historic second state visit, transferred to a support helicopter flying in formation and resumed the journey to meet up with Air Force One at Stansted.
No one was injured in the incident, and the President arrived at the airport 20 minutes behind schedule. The couple then boarded Air Force One for their return journey to the White House.
Photos from the scene showed emergency vehicles and armed police on the tarmac at Luton Airport. Separate images captured both of Mr Trump’s helicopters, known as Marine One and Marine Two, just off the runway.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement:
“Due to a minor hydraulic issue, and out of an abundance of caution, the pilots landed at a local airfield before reaching Stansted airport. The President and First Lady safely boarded the support helicopter. The President and First Lady were later able to board Air Force One for the return journey from the UK.”
### Trump Uses Marine One During Historic UK Visit
Mr Trump has been using his helicopter, Marine One, to travel between different locations on his historic visit to the UK. The trip has seen King Charles III and the US President both hail the “special relationship” between the two countries.
Today, Mr Trump met Mr Starmer for a joint press conference at Chequers, where they discussed the small boats crisis. The US President, whose harsh border controls have slashed illegal migration to near zero, said the UK was now facing a “very similar” problem in the Channel and had to take much tougher action.
Mr Trump also hailed the “incredible bond” between Britain and the US and spoke at length about his love for “these beautiful isles.” However, he warned that Britain cannot afford to continue with its softly-softly approach to the Channel crisis and disagreed with his host’s stance on several issues.
### Border Controls and Migration Debate
Mr Trump said huge numbers of foreign criminals, gangsters, and mental patients had been entering the US illegally until he took drastic action, including deporting some to harsh jails in El Salvador. The President, whose mother was born in Scotland, added:
“I think your situation is very similar. You have people coming in and I told the Prime Minister I would stop it, and it doesn’t matter if you call out the military, it doesn’t matter what means you use. It destroys countries from within.”
Sir Keir insisted that Labour was taking the Channel crisis seriously. He said there was no “silver bullet” but trumpeted the fact that the first migrant was finally sent back to France on Thursday under a new “one in, one out” deal following more than 30,000 arrivals this year.
### Clashes Over Policy and Politics
Mr Trump also criticised Sir Keir over Gaza, Net Zero policies, and North Sea oil. During a 45-minute press conference at the PM’s country retreat:
– Mr Trump told Sir Keir to scale back Labour’s controversial Net Zero target and urged to “drill, baby, drill.”
– The President dismissed the UK’s focus on wind farms as “a disaster” and a “very expensive joke.”
– Sir Keir appeared uncomfortable when asked about Lord Mandelson, while Mr Trump denied ever knowing the disgraced former US ambassador, despite having welcomed him into the White House just nine days earlier.
– Mr Trump publicly criticised Sir Keir’s impending decision to recognise a Palestinian state, suggesting it would not help release Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
– He also said Vladimir Putin had “really let me down” and hinted at fresh sanctions to force the Russian leader to the negotiating table.
The two leaders signed a technology deal expected to bring £150 billion in investment to the UK, although no details about British concessions were disclosed.
Mr Trump revealed that the US is trying to take the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan to bring Chinese nuclear facilities within bombing range.
### State Visit Highlights and Controversies
Thursday’s press conference in the historic Great Hall at Chequers came at the end of a two-day state visit that saw Mr Trump lavished with pomp and ceremony, including a glittering state dinner at Windsor Castle.
Downing Street had been concerned the event would be overshadowed by the controversy over Sir Keir’s decision to sack Lord Mandelson over his friendship with notorious paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. With President Trump also facing questions back home about his own past links to Epstein, the issue had the potential to create a diplomatic disaster.
When the issue of Lord Mandelson was raised during the last question of the press conference, both men seemed eager to move on quickly.
The President stated:
“I don’t know him actually. I had heard that, and I think maybe the Prime Minister would be better speaking of that. It was a choice that he made and I don’t know.”
Speaking directly to Sir Keir, Mr Trump asked: “What is your answer to that?”
The Prime Minister replied:
“It’s very straightforward. Some information came to light last week which wasn’t available when he was appointed, and I made a decision about it, and that’s very clear.”
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