Why is Donald Trump flying to campaign events in Jeffrey Epstein’s plane?

Donald Trump used a jet previously owned by Jeffrey Epstein for campaign travel due to a mechanical issue with his usual aircraft, a Boeing 757 known as “Trump Force One.” According to the Miami Herald, the mechanical problem forced Trump to land in Billings, Montana, and after a campaign rally in Bozeman, Montana, he chartered a smaller Gulfstream jet from a charter service. This Gulfstream jet was once part of Epstein’s fleet but is now owned and operated by Threshold Aviation Group.

The Trump campaign stated they were unaware of the plane’s previous ownership by Epstein when they chartered it through their regular vendor, Private Jet Services Group. The campaign has used this charter service for several years and plans to avoid using that specific aircraft in the future. Flight records confirmed that the jet’s serial number matched one previously registered to Epstein’s company, though it is not the infamous ‘Lolita’s Express.’

‘Trump Force One’

Trump’s usual jet is a Boeing 757 that the former Republican president bought in 2011 to replace his old aircraft, a Boeing 727. The current one has a VIP configuration to transport 43 passengers and has rooms such as a dining room, a bathroom with shower, a master bedroom and others for guests. It also has a conference and meeting room.

Each of the plane’s seats has a television and the seats are gold-plated. There is also a spacious area with a table and sofas that is used for dining, although the jewel in the crown may be the main room, and a lounge with a 57-inch television. It has two sofas that convert into a bed for those longer flights. The en-suite bathroom has a 24-karat gold-plated tap.

According to Business Insider, the plane cost $100 million to buy and retrofit. It was recently updated in 2019.