Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown has strongly refuted Donald Trump's recent claim that the two were involved in a near-death helicopter incident. Speaking out after Trump recounted the story at a press conference, Brown accused the former president of fabricating the entire event to undermine Vice President Kamala Harris.
"He is trying his best to get some way to degrade Kamala," Brown said. "There is no reason why her name ought to be mentioned anywhere near his lies, period."
Brown made his position clear in an interview with CNN's John Berman on Friday. "I have no idea what Trump is talking about," Brown said emphatically. "Never happened, period. And I think my memory is probably better than his."
Trump had shared the story during a press event at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, claiming that he and Brown were in a helicopter that made an emergency landing. According to Trump, the two men believed they might die during the ordeal. However, Brown quickly dismissed the account as completely untrue, insisting that he has never been in a helicopter with Trump.
Amid the backlash, a senior adviser for Trump's campaign pointed to a story from The New York Times that might shed light on the confusion. The Times reported that Trump had previously recounted a similar tale in his 2023 book, Letters to Trump. The book includes correspondence between Trump and Brown, but The New York Times suggested that Trump might have confused Willie Brown with former California Governor Jerry Brown.
In November 2018, Trump and Jerry Brown toured wildfire damage in California by helicopter, which could explain Trump's confusion. The suggestion that Trump mixed up the two Browns has only added to the controversy, with critics questioning the accuracy of his recollections.
This incident has fueled speculation that Trump may be attempting to draw connections between Harris and figures from her past, like Willie Brown, to weaken her standing in the 2024 presidential race. Brown's forceful denial and criticism of Trump's motives have added another layer of complexity to the already contentious political landscape.
As the 2024 election approaches, this episode is likely to be scrutinized by both supporters and opponents of Trump. While the truth behind the helicopter story remains unclear, it has sparked a debate about the former president's tactics and the lengths he may go to challenge his political rivals.
Whether this controversy will have a lasting impact on Trump's campaign is uncertain, but it has certainly brought attention to the ongoing feud between him and key Democratic figures like Harris. For now, Brown's firm denial stands in stark contrast to Trump's dramatic account, leaving the public to question the credibility of the former president's narrative.
