Did Trump confuse Willie Brown with Jerry Brown? Former SF mayor refutes helicopter ride claims

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: In a recent press conference held at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, former president Donald Trump recounted a dramatic helicopter experience that left many puzzled.

Trump, known for his larger-than-life storytelling, claimed to have had a near-death experience while on a helicopter ride with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. This story, however, was quickly debunked as a mix-up involving another prominent California politician, former governor Jerry Brown.

Donald Trump narrates tale of near-death experience

During the press conference on August 8, Donald Trump narrated what he described as a harrowing incident involving a helicopter ride.

According to Trump, he was accompanied by Willie Brown, a well-known figure in California politics and the former boyfriend of Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Well, I know Willie Brown very well,” Trump began. “In fact, I went down in a helicopter with him.”

Trump’s story was not just about a routine helicopter ride but a dramatic one that nearly ended in disaster.

"We thought maybe this was the end," he recounted. "We were in a helicopter, going to a certain location together, and there was an emergency landing. This was not a pleasant landing."

“And Willie was — he was a little concerned,” Trump continued. “So I know him, but I know him pretty well. I mean, I haven’t seen him in years. But he told me terrible things about her."

"But this is what you’re telling me, anyway, I guess. But he had a big part in what happened with Kamala. But he — he, I don’t know, maybe he’s changed his tune. But he — he was not a fan of hers very much, at that point," he added. 

According to the New York Times, the story—gripping as it was—turned out to be far from the truth.

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, whom Trump mentioned, was not on the helicopter at all. In fact, it was former Governor Jerry Brown who was on the flight with Trump, and there was no emergency landing or any life-threatening situation during the ride.

The helicopter ride in question took place in 2018, when Trump, then-Governor Jerry Brown, and Governor-elect Gavin Newsom surveyed the damage caused by the devastating Camp Fire in Paradise, California.

The Camp Fire, which remains one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in California's history, had ravaged the town of Paradise, and the helicopter ride was part of an effort to assess the extent of the damage.

Governor Newsom, who was also on the helicopter, clearly remembered the trip and was quick to refute Trump’s account. "I was on a helicopter with Jerry Brown and Trump, and it didn’t go down," Newsom said in an interview, laughing at the absurdity of Trump’s claim.

He noted that while Trump did mention the possibility of crashing multiple times during the flight, there was no actual emergency. Newsom also clarified that the topic of Kamala Harris never came up during the ride, despite Trump’s suggestion to the contrary.

"We talked about everyone else, but not Kamala," Newsom added with a chuckle.

Willie Brown responds to Donald Trump's dangerous helicopter ride claim

Willie Brown, who was having lunch at his usual spot at Sam’s Grill in San Francisco when Trump’s story broke, responded with incredulity. At 90 years old, Brown is still sharp and quick-witted. He dismissed Trump’s account as completely fabricated.

"I’ve never been on a helicopter with Trump," Brown said, emphasizing that he had never experienced a near-death situation in a helicopter. "You know me well enough to know that if I almost went down in a helicopter with anybody, you would have heard about it!" he added, laughing.

Brown, who has long been a supporter of Kamala Harris, also refuted the implication that he had spoken ill of her. Despite their brief romantic relationship nearly three decades ago, Brown has consistently expressed his admiration for Harris and remains a staunch advocate for her career.

“No hard feelings,” he said.

Newsom, who has had his own political rivalry with Harris, suggested that Trump’s bizarre and inaccurate story might have been an act of desperation. He pointed out that Harris’ growing momentum could be causing Trump to lash out in increasingly erratic ways.

Newsom referred to Trump’s press conference as “an act of desperation,” noting that it seemed intended to undermine Harris, who has been gaining prominence.

Interestingly, Trump’s visit to the Camp Fire site in 2018 did make headlines, but not because of any helicopter drama. Rather, it was Trump’s controversial comments about the cause of California’s wildfires that sparked debate.

At the time, Trump famously suggested that the solution to preventing wildfires was to "rake the forest floors", a remark that was widely criticized and even mocked. Newsom humorously recalled this incident, saying, "It was back when we were making raking the forest great again."

When NBC News reached out to Steven Cheung, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, for comment, he did not address the confusion between Willie Brown and Jerry Brown. Instead, he vaguely referenced Willie Brown’s past relationship with Kamala Harris.

"Slick Willie has told some interesting stories about Kamala Harris," he told the outlet.

Donald Trump trolled over debunked helicopter ride tale

Critics of Donald Trump widely mocked him on social media over his claim of a harrowing helicopter ride with Willie Brown.

"Trump truly has lost his mind. The story he told today... He mixed everything up and it, well, basically never happened," one posted on X.

"In other words, he lied," a second user wrote.

"I was wondering what the other side of that story was gonna be. Just like this, he likes to embellish to make people feel sorry for him. He is psychotic," another alleged.

"I just assume nothing he says actually happened," someone else quipped.

"I mean, he can't tell the difference between Jerry Brown and Willie Brown?" read a comment.

"His declining mental faculties are deeply concerning. He’s clearly unfit for office," another offered.

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