Technical glitch forces Trump’s chopper to make emergency landing in UK

The helicopter carrying US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump was forced to make an emergency landing in the UK on Thursday after a "minor hydraulic issue," the White House said.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the pilots landed at a local airfield before reaching Stansted airport," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, according to news agency AP.

She added that the President and First Lady Melania Trump "safely boarded the support helicopter" before continuing their journey to Air Force One.

The couple later boarded the presidential jet as scheduled for their flight back to Washington.

The incident gave extra weight to a quip Trump made while speaking to reporters on Air Force One shortly after.

"Fly safely," he told the press pool, before adding with a grin: "You know why I say that? Because I'm on the flight. I want to get home, otherwise I wouldn’t care."

The White House confirmed during the journey that the issue with Marine One had been mechanical.