Trump, Melania transferred to backup helicopter after hydraulic issue

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were forced to transfer to a backup helicopter after their presidential aircraft made a precautionary landing on Thursday while flying from the prime minister's country residence at Chequers to London Stansted airport, White House officials and multiple reports said. The aircraft, Marine One, stopped at a nearby airfield after pilots detected a minor hydraulic problem, officials said, and the couple continued to Stansted on a support helicopter before boarding Air Force One for the flight back to the United States.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, "Due to a minor hydraulic issue, and out of an abundance of caution, the pilots landed at a local airfield before reaching Stansted airport. The president and first lady safely boarded the support helicopter." Several news outlets identified the landing site as Luton Airport and said emergency vehicles and armed police were on the tarmac. The White House and other reports agreed there were no injuries and that the president and first lady were delayed by about 20 minutes.

Officials described the incident as a precautionary measure in response to a...