President Donald Trump was criticized after he boarded Air Force One with reporters and told them to "fly safely" before making a remark that told them exactly how little he cares about them—to say nothing about the rest of us.
The presidential plane was due to fly back to the United States from the United Kingdom, where Trump's visit, his first since 2019, was marred by significant protests.
Whenever Trump—or any president—flies on Air Force One, a full press pool travels with him, including at least one representative from each major type of media outlet.
As reporters took their seats, Trump turned to them and said:
"'Fly safely.' You know why I say that? Because I'm on the flight. Otherwise I wouldn't care."
You can hear what he said in the video below.
The moment said everything you need to know about Trump.
Trump made his darkly selfish remark after he and First Lady Melania Trump experienced significant issues while traveling themselves.
Before boarding the presidential plane in London, the couple took a brief Marine One flight that was forced to make an emergency landing at a local airfield due to a “minor hydraulic issue.”
The helicopter had been en route from Chequers to Stansted Airport, where Air Force One awaited, but touched down early “out of an abundance of caution,” according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The president and his wife then boarded a backup helicopter to complete the trip.
Earlier in their trip to the UK, the Trumps experienced another major travel issue when a Spirit Airlines plane came dangerously close to Air Force One while flying over Long Island after its pilots allegedly delayed following air traffic controllers’ instructions to steer clear of the president’s aircraft.
The Trumps were then able to continue their travels.