The Trump campaign suffered its second plane mechanical issue in a week Friday after 2024 Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance’s flight made an emergency landing in Milwaukee.
2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump’s plane made an emergency landing Aug. 9 in Billings, Montana — roughly 150 miles from its intended destination of Bozeman — as a result of a mechanical issue, according to CBS News.
Vance’s plane, a Boeing 737-86J referred to as “Trump Force Two,” touched back down at the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport four minutes after takeoff due to a door seal malfunction, Trump campaign spokeswoman Taylor Van Kirk told the New York Times.
“The pilot advised there was a malfunction with the door seal,” the Trump campaign spokeswoman said.
🚨✈️ Trump Force Two✈️🚨
with VP Candidate JD Vance, just made an emergency landing in Milwaukee
Milwaukee County Fire Department (ARFF) responded to the Boeing 737 on the tarmac.
43 souls on board per traffic scanner scanner
J.D. Vance’s plane started to turn back near… pic.twitter.com/n8bYqSnwtT
— Kylie Jane Kremer (@KylieJaneKremer) August 16, 2024
🚨 JUST IN: JD Vance’s Trump Force Two, a Boeing 737, made an emergency landing in Milwaukee after the pilot discovered a “door seal malfunction.”
This comes just ONE WEEK after President Trump’s plane made an emergency landing in Billings due to a “hydraulic leak.”
Say a… pic.twitter.com/9gVpNPo4UO
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 16, 2024
The issue with Trump Force Two was quickly resolved and the flight proceeded on its trip to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, the campaign spokeswoman said. Vance’s plane stayed on the tarmac for over an hour to resolve the problem, according to the outlet.
Vance was traveling with his wife, Usha, a group of advisers, U.S. Secret Service agents, journalists and his dog, Atlas.
Can’t really tell in this video, but he was *not happy* about the wet metal stairs.
He’s doing good on the plane though.
We’ve had two GSDs, and both of them do this thing where they find the one person who doesn’t like dogs and they suck up to them. https://t.co/Lf0qhOmbWl
— JD Vance (@JDVance) August 16, 2024
Secret Service agents onboard initially “reacted with confusion and laughter,” as many were uncertain there was an emergency at first, according to the outlet. The pilot reportedly apologized over the intercom for causing “elevated heart rates.” (RELATED: Secret Service Reveals New Plan To Protect Trump At Outdoor Rallies)
Vance’s plane reached its destination around 4 p.m., according to the outlet.
Boeing has recently faced scrutiny over a series of quality control issues affecting their 737 Max jets, which were involved in two crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. Boeing paid a fine of $243.6 million after striking a plea deal with the Department of Justice in July and pleading guilty to criminal fraud.
Vance’s Boeing 737-86J is 22 years old, according to the outlet, citing public aviation records. The plane Trump was originally taking to his Montana rally, “Trump Force One,” is a Boeing 757 built in 1991.
🚨BREAKING: Trump’s plane makes an emergency landing in Billings, Montana this afternoon due to mechanical failure.
Here’s video of the landing.
I’m telling you God has his hand on this man. pic.twitter.com/UK14CxVbtf
— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) August 9, 2024
The Federal Aviation Administration directed all inquiries to the Trump-Vance campaign, The New York Times noted.
Concerns for Trump’s safety skyrocketed after he was grazed in the ear by a bullet during a July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Since the assassination attempt, one of Trump’s campaign offices in Virginia was burglarized, his campaign was targeted in a hack by allegedly “hostile” foreign actors and U.S. authorities reportedly received intelligence relating to an Iranian plot to kill him.
