Former Los Angeles city councilman and California state Sen. Nate Holden clarified on Friday that he was the individual accompanying former President Donald Trump in a helicopter ride that necessitated an emergency landing. This revelation contradicts Trump's earlier statement identifying former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown as his companion during the incident.
Holden emphasized the distinction, stating, 'Willie is the short Black guy living in San Francisco. I'm a tall Black guy living in Los Angeles.' He humorously remarked, 'I guess we all look alike.'
Trump had informed reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida that he had shared the helicopter emergency landing experience with Brown. However, Brown promptly refuted Trump's assertion, affirming that he had never been in a helicopter with the former president.
Trump had previously referenced the incident in his book, 'Letters to Trump,' describing it as a nerve-wracking episode for both individuals. Trump's campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung, highlighted this account in a recent social media post.
Holden disclosed that he had engaged with Trump's team in the 1990s when Trump was exploring development opportunities at the Ambassador Hotel site in Los Angeles, within Holden's former district. He recounted a meeting with Trump at Trump Tower, followed by a joint trip to Trump's now-defunct Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Barbara Res, Trump's former executive vice president of construction, corroborated Holden's version of events, confirming that Holden was indeed present on the helicopter. In her book, 'All Alone on the 68th Floor,' Res detailed the safe landing in New Jersey after the pilot announced the need for an emergency landing. She recalled Trump teasing Holden about feeling apprehensive during the flight, with Holden asserting that it was actually Trump who appeared visibly anxious.
