NEED TO KNOW
- Trump wishes reporters safe flight only because they’re near him
- Marine One suffered “minor hydraulic issue” earlier in trip
- Press pool reminded they exist to witness his greatness, not survive
The president used his time aboard Air Force One to remind the press pool that their fate is only important when it affects him. Speaking from the aisle of the aircraft, Donald Trump told reporters he hoped for a safe flight — but clarified that concern ended the second they were no longer physically attached to him.
Safety, But Only for Me
“Fly safely. You know why I say that? Because I’m on the flight,” Trump explained to a cabin full of journalists. “Otherwise, nobody would care. If it was just you people, the news cycle would move on in five minutes. With me, it’s history.”
The remark followed a shaky day of travel. Marine One had to make an emergency landing in England after a hydraulic malfunction. Trump described the incident as proof of his toughness. “Most helicopters would have exploded, but mine knew it had me inside. So it landed gently, like a bird with respect,” he said.
Press Pool as Background Extras
Reporters noted the president seemed less focused on his safety than on the optics of potential disaster. “Imagine the ratings if Air Force One went down with me. It would be the number one show in the world,” Trump boasted. “Netflix would fight Fox News for the rights. You’d all finally get good jobs, because of me.”
When asked if he ever worried about the journalists themselves, he waved them off. “Your job is to be the supporting cast. If the plane crashes without me, it’s not a movie, it’s just lost luggage. Nobody tunes in for that.”
The White House Correspondents’ Association later issued a statement reminding the public that the press pool exists to document the president’s words and actions. Trump, overhearing part of the statement, reportedly replied: “Exactly. You exist to document me. So stay alive, but only because I said so.”
Reporters reluctantly agreed that was the closest thing to compassion they had ever heard from him.
He told us to stay safe only so he wouldn’t have to haunt us from the afterlife, which is probably the nicest thing he’s ever said
Janet Mills, White House Correspondents’ Association
