CNN
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Former President Donald Trump recounted to reporters Thursday the story of his helicopter emergency landing with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.
Asked by a reporter about his previous relationship with Vice President Kamala Harris Brown and whether it helped his career path, Trump said he knew Brown “well” and told a story about the alleged helicopter incident.
“I know Willie Brown very well. In fact, I also went with him in a helicopter. We thought maybe this would be the end. We were on our way together in a helicopter to a certain location and there was an emergency landing,” Trump told reporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for his first news conference since the Democratic ticket was announced.
“It wasn’t a smooth landing, Willie, he was a little worried. So I know him, I know him well. I mean, I haven’t seen him in years,” Trump continued.
However, Brown dismissed Trump’s account as “blatantly false” during a phone call with CNN late Thursday, adding: “I’ve never been in a helicopter with him in my life.”
“He’s doing everything he can to discredit Kamal,” he said of former mayor Trump and the Democratic presidential contender.
Asked about Brown’s rebuttal of the former president’s story, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung responded, “Slick Willie!” He replied.
Brown reiterated on Friday that he had never traveled in a helicopter with Trump, telling CNN’s John Berman that he had “no idea” what Trump was talking about.
“Never happened, period,” Brown said. “I think my memory is better than his.”
A Trump campaign senior adviser pointed to a story by CNN on Friday The New York Times Trump previously mentioned the story in his 2023 book “Letters to Trump,” which contained correspondence between him and Brown.
The Times On Thursday, the former president appeared to confuse Willie Brown with former California Gov. Jerry Brown, with whom he toured wildfire damage by helicopter in November 2018.
A spokesperson for Jerry Brown told the Times that “there was no emergency landing and no discussion about Kamala Harris.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the governor-elect who toured the wildfires in 2018, said of Trump’s account, “I call complete BS,” according to the Times.
“I was in the helicopter with Jerry Brown and Trump, and it didn’t go down,” Newsom told the Times, adding that Trump repeatedly brought up the possibility of a crash.
Trump doubled down on the story Friday, saying he wasn’t confusing the former San Francisco mayor with the former California governor. “First of all, this was in New Jersey, not California, and it was Willie Brown, not former Governor Jerry Brown,” Trump posted on his Truth Community site.
Trump did not provide further details about the alleged meeting.
Right-wing media figures have denigrated Harris as a “mistress” for her previous relationship with Brown — which occurred after Brown separated from his wife and was not secret — among other attacks.
During Thursday’s news conference, Trump said he was “not a fan” of Willie Brown Harris and that he had said “terrible things” to him about him.
When asked about those claims, Brown told CNN: “No. Why me? Please give me a break.
Brown added of Harris on Friday: “You know he served California very well. She defeated an incumbent district attorney in this city because people loved her, and she did well.
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Tori B. Powell, Alayna Treene and Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.
