CNN
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Former President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday that he was involved in an emergency helicopter landing along with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown.
When asked by a reporter about Vice President Kamala Harris’s past relationship with Brown and whether it had helped her career development, Trump said he knew Brown “very well” and told a story about the alleged helicopter incident.
“I know Willie Brown very well. In fact, I flew with him in a helicopter. We thought maybe this was the end. We were in a helicopter together going to a certain place and there was an emergency landing,” Trump told reporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for his first press conference since announcing his Democratic candidacy.
“It wasn’t a pleasant landing, and Willie was a little worried. So I know him, I know him pretty well. I mean, I haven’t seen him in years,” Trump continued.
However, Brown dismissed Trump’s account as “obviously false” in a phone call with CNN later Thursday, saying, “I’ve never been in a helicopter with him in my life.”
“He’s trying his best to somehow degrade Kamala,” the former mayor also said of Trump and his Democratic presidential rival. “There’s no reason why her name should be mentioned anywhere near his lies, period.”
When asked about Brown’s refutation of the former president’s account, Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung simply replied: “Slick Willie!”
Brown reiterated on Friday that he never flew in a helicopter with Trump and told CNN’s John Berman that he had “no idea” what Trump was talking about.
“That never happened, period,” Brown said. “And I think my memory is probably better than his.”
A senior Trump campaign adviser referred CNN on Friday to a New York Times article that said Trump had already told the story in his 2023 book “Letters to Trump,” which included a correspondence between him and Brown.
The Times reported on Thursday that the former president apparently confused Willie Brown with former California Governor Jerry Brown, with whom he inspected wildfire damage by helicopter in November 2018.
A spokesman for Jerry Brown told the Times that “there was no emergency landing and no discussion about Kamala Harris.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who as governor-elect also inspected the 2018 wildfires, said of Trump’s report, “I think that’s complete nonsense,” according to the Times.
“I was in a helicopter with Jerry Brown and Trump, and it didn’t crash,” Newsom told the Times, adding that Trump had repeatedly mentioned the possibility of a crash.
Right-wing media figures had previously denigrated Harris as a “mistress” because of her previous relationship with Brown – even though the relationship occurred after Brown separated from his wife and was not a secret. Harris has also been referred to as a “mistress” before, among other attacks.
During Thursday’s press conference, Trump claimed that Willie Brown was “not a fan” of Harris and that he had told him “horrible things” about her.
When asked about these allegations, Brown told CNN: “No. Why should I? Give me a break, please.”
Brown said of Harris on Friday: “You have to know that she served California extraordinarily well. She defeated an incumbent district attorney in this city because the people loved her, and she did a very good job.”
This story has been updated with additional details.
CNN’s Tori B. Powell, Alayna Treene and Kate Sullivan contributed to this report.
