Trump blasts stories about 'mothballed' plane as fake news
Former President Trump on Saturday denied reports that his personal plane has been "mothballed" in New York, calling the stories "fake news."
Trump's personal Boeing 757 was a hallmark of his 2016 campaign, but last year it was reported to be sitting idle in a state of disrepair in New York.
The former president, however, disputed the news on Saturday, seemingly referring to assertions from publications including the Daily Mail that he didn't believe he would need to use the plane until 2025, the year after the next presidential election.
"The story is Fake News about my plane being 'mothballed' in Stewart Airfield in Newburgh, New York, because 'I didn't think I would need it until 2025,'" Trump said in his statement.
"My plane, a Boeing 757, is going through a major scheduled maintenance program, which will be completed in approximately 90 days," he added. "It will then be put back into service. I was not allowed to use it during the Presidency, and didn't."
This comes after Trump earlier this week requested donations in an email sent through his Save America PAC to help fund a "Trump Force One" plane.
The fundraising email claimed Trump had "a very important update on his plane" and reminded potential donors that he used to travel on his personal plane, dubbed "Trump Force One," before he became "the greatest President of all time."
Last week, a private plane carrying Trump made an emergency landing after one of its engines failed following his appearance at a Republican National Committee-hosted donor retreat in New Orleans. The plane was reportedly heading back to his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida at the time of the incident.
