Trump's Billings Airport Debt: Who Is Owed?

On August 9, 2024, former US President Donald Trump's plane was diverted to Billings Logan International Airport in Montana due to a mechanical issue. Trump was travelling to a rally in Bozeman, Montana, in support of Republican Senate Candidate Tim Sheehy. Trump's campaign shared a video of him upon landing, in which he expressed his happiness at being in Montana but did not mention the diversion. Trump's plane landed safely at Billings, and he continued to Bozeman via a private jet. It is unclear whether Trump or his campaign owe Billings Airport money.

Trump's plane landed at Billings Airport due to a mechanical issue

Former US President Donald Trump's plane landed at Billings Airport instead of Bozeman, Montana, on Friday, August 9, 2024, due to a mechanical issue. The diversion was confirmed by a spokesperson for Billings Logan International Airport. Trump was on his way to a rally in Bozeman, about 140 miles west of Billings, in support of Tim Sheehy, a Republican Senate Candidate.

Trump's campaign confirmed his arrival in a video posted to Truth Social around 5:30 pm, but it did not mention any technical issues. In the video, Trump said, "I just landed in a really beautiful place, Montana. So beautiful flying over and you just look down and that's the way it's supposed to be. We have a very high rating in Montana. We have a lot of popularity. I like them. They like me."

The presidential motorcade that was awaiting Trump in Bozeman departed, and it was unclear whether he would fly or drive the rest of the way. Trump eventually continued his journey to Bozeman via a private jet.

This unexpected diversion to Billings raised questions about whether Trump owed the airport money from previous visits. One source claimed that Trump "stiffed" organisations during his campaign stops and that it was "normal" for him to do so. However, it is unclear whether Trump or his campaign team paid the outstanding bills.

Trump's plane landed at Billings Airport before heading to Bozeman for a rally

Former President Donald Trump's plane landed at Billings Airport on Friday, August 9, 2024, instead of heading directly to Bozeman for a rally. The diversion was due to a mechanical issue with the aircraft, according to airport staff.

Trump's plane was originally scheduled to land in Bozeman, Montana, where he was due to attend a rally in support of Tim Sheehy, a Republican Senate Candidate. However, the plane was diverted to Billings Logan International Airport, located about 140 miles from Bozeman.

A spokesperson for Billings Airport confirmed the incident, stating that Trump's aircraft experienced mechanical issues and had to be diverted to their airport. They also mentioned that Trump would continue his journey to Bozeman on a private jet.

The presidential motorcade that was awaiting Trump in Bozeman had to depart due to the unexpected delay. There was uncertainty about whether Trump would fly or drive the rest of the way to Bozeman.

Trump's campaign posted a video of him upon landing, expressing his happiness at being in Montana but without mentioning the diversion. In the video, Trump talked about his popularity in Montana and his plans to stop in different states over the weekend.

This unexpected stop in Billings raised questions about whether Trump owed the airport money from previous campaign visits, as he has a reputation for not paying organizations he works with. However, there was no confirmation on whether he had outstanding debts at the airport.

Trump's motorcade departed Bozeman Airport, creating uncertainty about his route

On August 9, 2024, former US President Donald Trump's plane was diverted to Billings Logan International Airport, 140 miles away from its original destination of Bozeman, Montana, due to a mechanical issue. Trump was travelling to a rally in Bozeman to support Republican Senate Candidate Tim Sheehy.

Trump's motorcade, which was awaiting him in Bozeman, departed the Bozeman Airport, creating uncertainty about his route to the rally. Questions remained about whether he would fly from Billings to Bozeman or drive via motorcade. The rally at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse was planned for 8 pm that evening, and it was unclear if the delay would impact the schedule.

Trump's campaign confirmed that the former president had landed in a video posted to Truth Social around 5.30 pm, but it did not mention any technical issues. In the video, Trump said:

> I just landed in a really beautiful place, Montana. So beautiful flying over and you just look down and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. We have a very high rating in Montana. We have a lot of popularity. I like them. They like me.

Trump's plane landing in Billings instead of Bozeman may have been due to a longer runway at Billings Logan International Airport, which could be safer for takeoff and landing, especially if there were strong wind conditions.

Trump's campaign posted a video of him landing, but he didn't mention the diversion

Former US President Donald Trump's plane was diverted to Billings Logan International Airport while en route to a rally in Bozeman, Montana. The diversion was caused by a mechanical issue, with Trump's aircraft experiencing technical difficulties.

Trump's campaign team posted a video of him landing in Montana, in which he expressed his happiness at being in the state, but notably omitted any mention of the diversion. "I just landed in a really beautiful place, Montana," Trump said in the video, adding, "We have a very high rating in Montana. We have a lot of popularity. I like them. They like me."

The former president was travelling to a rally in support of Tim Sheehy, a Republican Senate Candidate. Trump's plane landed safely in Billings, about 140 miles from Bozeman, and he continued the rest of the journey to the rally in Bozeman via a private jet.

This diversion sparked discussions on Reddit about whether Trump owed money to the Bozeman airport and municipality from previous campaign visits. Some users speculated that this might have been the real reason for the diversion, suggesting that Trump and his campaign are known for not paying organisations they work with. However, there was no official confirmation of this, and it remains a topic of debate.

Trump's visit to Bozeman was his fifth historic visit to Montana since 2018

On August 9, 2024, Donald Trump's plane was diverted to Billings, Montana, due to a mechanical issue. Trump was on his way to a rally in Bozeman, Montana, in support of GOP Senate candidate Tim Sheehy. This was Trump's fifth visit to Montana since 2018.

Trump's visit to Bozeman was aimed at boosting Sheehy in his tight race against Democratic incumbent Jon Tester. Trump won Montana in the previous two presidential elections, and in his speech, he criticised Tester's votes in support of major legislation passed under the Biden administration, such as the Inflation Reduction Act.

Trump's plane landed in Billings after experiencing a mechanical issue. He then continued on to Bozeman via private jet. The diversion to Billings caused uncertainty about Trump's route to Bozeman, with questions arising as to whether he would fly or drive the rest of the way. The rally at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse was scheduled for 8 pm that evening, and it was unclear if the delay would impact the schedule.

Trump's visit to Bozeman drew both supporters and protesters. Supporters lined up as early as 6 am for the rally, which started about 90 minutes behind schedule. Protesters gathered along the highway as Trump's motorcade travelled to Big Sky.

Trump's speech focused on attacking Tester, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Biden. He also made comments about the 2020 election, immigration, and the LGBTQ+ community. Trump's claims about immigration and Harris' stance on gun control and ICE were fact-checked and found to be inaccurate or misleading.

In addition to his political rally, Trump's visit to Bozeman raised questions about unpaid bills from previous campaign visits. It is unclear if these bills have been paid.

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