Trump Ditched Usual Mode of Transport, Flew to Campaign Events on Jeffrey Epstein's Jet

The campaign of former president Donald Trump reportedly used a blue Gulfstream plane during the weekend that was formerly owned by sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. As reported by The Independent, the former president's typical means of transportation, a Boeing 757 plane called the ‘Trump Force One’ was momentarily out of commission on Friday due to what the Secret Service called a 'mechanical issue' that landed him in Billings, Montana. 

Trump rented a smaller Gulfstream after making an appearance at a campaign event in Bozeman, Montana. The vessel had previously belonged to Epstein, the infamous financier who was discovered dead in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting prosecution for sex trafficking. One of Trump's Palm Beach neighbors, Epstein, was a convicted sex trafficker. Although Trump has never been officially charged with Epstein's offenses, his friendship with Epstein has been the subject of intense media attention.

Nonetheless, a member of Trump's team recently told the Miami Herald that they were unaware the jet belonged to Epstein. The staffer stated, "The campaign had no awareness that the charter plane had been owned by Mr. Epstein. We heard about the former owner through the media." The Ontario-based Threshold Aviation Group now owns the aircraft that belonged to Epstein. The Herald reported that when Trump's campaign was utilizing the aircraft this weekend, someone from his team reportedly placed a 'Trump 2024' sticker on the side. Taking out from Bozeman, Montana, Trump reportedly flew the plane to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, then on to Aspen, Colorado.

Nonetheless, the story went viral on many social media sites, and many opposing viewpoints offered their opinions. One user shared on X, "When in times of stress, people like to go back to a place where they had their fondest memories." Yet another reviewer asked, "So, if a person gets a great deal and buys Jeffrey Dahmer’s house that would make him a serial killer?" Numerous others spoke out in support of the ex-president.

One more critic pointed out, "It’s not his plane. His estate sold it. Trump's plane is in for repairs and he rented the plane for a day. There is no conspiracy here." Another backer spoke up, "The jet was purchased by a company that is in the business of renting out private planes. This is one of many they rent out. Trump Force One is down for repairs so the campaign rented a plane. There is nothing nefarious about this and anyone who thinks otherwise is delusional."

On his last day of freedom, July 6, 2019, Epstein was detained at an airport in Teterboro, New Jersey. Interestingly, he was traveling on the Gulfstream G550. An additional year down the road, the Palm Beach Post said that the Gulfstream G550 was being offered for sale for $16.9 million. The plane was different from the notorious 'Lolita Express,' a Boeing 727 that Epstein reportedly used to transport minors around the nation and the Caribbean.