Karoline Leavitt said that Trump and Melania switched helicopters out of an abundance of caution. “The pilots landed at a local airfield before reaching Stansted Airport,” Leavitt said. “The president and first lady safely boarded the support helicopter.”
The flight was expected to take about 20 minutes, traveling from the prime minister’s landing zone at Chequers to Stansted Airport. However, the journey took nearly 40 minutes because of the helicopter issue.
The emergency landing occurred during President Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom. King Charles III and Queen Camilla welcomed the Trumps for the visit, which included discussions on trade, technology, energy and major investment commitments between the two countries.
Trump spent the morning at Windsor Castle with King Charles III before traveling by Marine One to Chequers, the prime minister’s country residence, for meetings focused on politics, business and economic cooperation.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighted a £250 billion package of investment flowing between the United Kingdom and the United States. He described the agreement as an important step in strengthening the economic relationship between the two nations.
Following private discussions, Trump and Starmer met with business executives at a reception at Chequers. Their talks focused on the U.K.-U.S. relationship and cooperation in areas including technology, energy and investment. Starmer described the new agreement as a “tech-prosperity deal.” Trump said it would create “billions of dollars of opportunities” and provide the United States with greater access to the U.K.’s aerospace supply chain.
“We’re taking the next logical step with a historic agreement on science and technology partnerships, and this will create new government, academic, and private-sector cooperation in areas such as AI,” Trump said. He also highlighted cooperation in quantum computing, fusion energy, 6G and civil nuclear power.
Trump highlighted an agreement between American company X-Energy and British company Centrica to develop advanced modular nuclear reactors in the United Kingdom. The companies plan to build up to 12 advanced modular reactors in Hartlepool as part of a broader U.K. program targeting a 6-gigawatt nuclear fleet.
According to the U.K. government, the project could generate enough electricity to power up to 1.5 million homes and create as many as 2,500 jobs. “Seven decades after British genius Alan Turing pioneered the field, this agreement will also help America and our British allies dominate the future of artificial intelligence,” Trump said.
Trump emphasized the need to expand electricity generation to meet rising demand from artificial intelligence and other technologies. “You need the energy. You have to have the energy. That’s one thing I learned very quickly. They need a lot of electricity,” he added.
The U.K. government said the state visit produced a record package of commercial commitments, including £150 billion in newly announced U.S. investment in the United Kingdom. The broader package included major commitments from companies in sectors such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, clean energy and nuclear power.
Trump returned to the White House on Thursday, September 18, 2025, following his state visit to the United Kingdom. The White House confirmed that Trump and Melania arrived at London Stansted Airport before boarding Air Force One for the flight back to the United States.
