Barbara Res, the Trump Organization’s former executive vice president of construction and development, has come forward to dispute former President Donald Trump’s account of a helicopter ride that had to make an emergency landing in the 1990s. Res mentioned that the incident occurred while they were working on a major project in California involving local and state politicians, including former California state Sen. Nate Holden. This contradicts Trump’s story where he claimed to have been with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown during the emergency landing.
When asked about the possibility of Trump mixing up the identities of Brown and Holden, Res responded that she does not remember the specifics since it was 30 years ago. However, she admitted that it wouldn’t be surprising if Trump had indeed confused the two politicians. She speculated that Trump wanted to be associated with Brown due to his influential status.
After Trump’s press conference where he recounted the helicopter incident, former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown refuted the story by stating that he had never been on a helicopter with Trump. Brown sarcastically remarked that he assumed Trump must have mistaken another Black individual for him during the alleged flight. On the other hand, Nate Holden confirmed that he was the one who accompanied Trump on the helicopter ride to Atlantic City to visit Trump’s Taj Mahal casino.
The Trump campaign did not provide an immediate response to the conflicting accounts of the helicopter incident. However, Trump dismissed doubts regarding the authenticity of his story by mentioning the existence of logs, maintenance records, and witnesses to corroborate his claims. He also referenced a specific story titled “Willie and Me” as further evidence of the helicopter ride with Brown.
The controversy surrounding Trump’s helicopter ride during the 1990s highlights the complexities of memory and the subjective nature of storytelling. While multiple individuals have provided conflicting versions of events, the truth remains elusive. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of fact-checking and verifying accounts, especially when they involve high-profile figures like Donald Trump and prominent politicians.
Leave a Reply