As the President of the United States, Donald Trump had numerous international commitments, and his accompanying staff have shared their less-than-pleasant experiences.
While the presidency involves a myriad of responsibilities, the frequent necessity for travel is often overlooked.
Having returned to the White House for a second term, Trump is likely well-acquainted with the rigors of international diplomacy and the critical nature of face-to-face engagements with global leaders.
Despite this, during his first term, Trump expressed a desire to travel less than those before him, and he is reportedly not fond of international trips.
However, it seems some staff members had a more challenging time than the president himself, describing travel on Air Force One with Trump as akin to being ‘held captive’ back in 2019.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins recently discussed these challenges on Jason Tartick’s Trading Secrets podcast (October 6), sharing insights from those familiar with the most frustrating aspects of presidential travel.
She recounted: “I had this source who said you never want to be on Air Force One on a trip, and I said, ‘Why?’ You would think you would want to be in the axis of power, close to Trump.”
This comment refers to her 2019 article that provided an insider’s perspective on traveling with Trump aboard Air Force One.
The former Chief White House Correspondent noted the difficulty of adjusting to the president’s unconventional sleep habits, particularly on lengthy flights.
Collins explained: “He doesn’t sleep on these trips and like, you’re going to Asia or something, and that’s kind of the only time you’re going to sleep before you go on this trip, but Trump is just always up and talking.
“He’ll have them go wake staff up if they’re asleep because he wants to talk to them.”
Collins, along with colleague Kevin Liptak, reported: “He’ll summon sleeping staffers to his office at moments the rest of the plane is dark, impatient to discuss his upcoming meetings or devise a response to something he saw in the media.”
Additional sources noted that Fox News played incessantly on Air Force One during the night, with Trump closely monitoring media coverage about himself, often directing staff to respond if dissatisfied.
“He will not go to sleep,” one source shared.
Indeed, this scenario sounds far from enjoyable.
The White House has been contacted for comment.