US President Donald Trump has spent about 70 hours aboard Air Force One so far in October, travelling across the United States to attend rallies and campaign for Republicans ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
asserted
Trump → spend → elections
The president’s campaign trips have featured an eclectic mix of passengers, ranging from Cabinet members and senior White House aides to boxing legends and sports personalities.
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trips → feature → legends
The list of people accompanying Trump offers a glimpse into his inner circle and those who have access to him during the final stretch of the election campaign.
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who → accompany → campaign
According to the Associated Press, political advisers, officials involved in shaping administration policies and communications staff have frequently joined Trump on the trips.
uncertain
advisers → accord → trips
Several celebrities have also travelled with the president, making appearances at rallies as the White House seeks to boost Republican candidates.
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House → travel → candidates
“Who he surrounds himself with are the people he is going to be listening to,” David Cohen, a professor of political science at the University of Akron, said, adding that the people travelling with the president can indicate his priorities.
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people → surround → priorities
Here is a look at some of the key figures who have travelled with Trump aboard Air Force One this month.
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who → travel → One
Wiles, who co-managed Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign
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who → co → campaign
Trump has described her as the “most powerful woman in the world”.
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Trump → describe → world
After Trump’s 15th rally in 20 days, Wiles spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as the plane took off from Greenville, North Carolina, giving the trip a positive assessment.
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plane → speak → assessment
“Great,” she said.
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she → say → ?
Other senior administration officials who have travelled with Trump include special envoy Steve Witkoff, deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
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who → travel → staff
Witkoff has been involved in diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war, which has weighed on Republican prospects ahead of the midterms.
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which → involve → midterms
Miller, meanwhile, has played a central role in the administration’s immigration crackdown.
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Miller → play → crackdown
Lutnick, a billionaire who previously ran financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, has known Trump since the 1990s.
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who → run → 1990s
During rallies, Lutnick has highlighted new factory investments and business projects that the president has cited to argue that the US economy is performing well.
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economy → highlight → that
Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has joined Trump for at least five legs of the campaign tour.
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Pulte → join → tour
His frequent presence suggests he has considerable access to the president beyond what his formal position might indicate.
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position → suggest → what
Pulte, whose family is associated with a homebuilding company, briefly served as acting director of national intelligence and oversaw layoffs in that office.
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family → associate → office
He has also led pressure campaigns against Federal Reserve officials Jerome Powell and Lisa Cook.
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He → lead → officials
He previously floated the idea of replacing the traditional 30-year mortgage with a 50-year option, a proposal that has since been abandoned.
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that → float → proposal
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has also accompanied Trump, including during a lengthy West Coast trip on October 13 and 14.
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Carr → accompany → October
Carr has sought to use the agency’s regulatory authority over broadcast networks to challenge their coverage of the president.
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Carr → seek → president
Aides, speechwriters and political strategists travel with Trump
Trump’s travelling entourage also includes several aides who help manage his schedule, communications and campaign messaging.
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who → travel → schedule
Natalie Harp, an executive assistant who accompanies the president on most of his trips, is among the regular passengers.
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who → accompany → passengers
Walt Nauta, director of Oval Office Operations, and his deputy, Chamberlain Harris, have also travelled frequently with Trump.
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Nauta → travel → Trump
Harris additionally serves on the Commission of Fine Arts, one of the government bodies involved in reviewing Trump’s White House ballroom project and other construction plans.
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Harris → serve → project
Despite Trump’s preference for improvising during public appearances, speechwriting director Ross Worthington has repeatedly joined him aboard Air Force One this month.
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Worthington → improvise → Force
Trump’s campaign speeches have included a promise of $5,000 checks if Republicans retain control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate after the November 3 elections.
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Republicans → include → elections
He has also highlighted proposed factory projects and investments in communities he visits.
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he → highlight → communities
Communications adviser Margo Martin, who regularly posts videos of Trump on social media, has accompanied the president, as has White House communications director Steven Cheung.
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Cheung → post → president
Katie Zacharia, who served as White House press secretary for five days, spent two days travelling with Trump during a trip that included Alaska, Nevada, Arizona and Montana.
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that → serve → Alaska
The campaign entourage also includes political strategists working on Republican election prospects.
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entourage → include → prospects
Matt Brasseaux, Trump’s political director and a former Republican National Committee staffer, has been part of the travelling group.
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Brasseaux → travel → group
Johnny DeStefano, a senior aide during Trump’s first term who temporarily returned to the White House this summer to work on midterm strategy, has also been seen aboard Air Force One.
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who → return → Force
Former White House deputy chief of staff James Blair has joined the trips as well.
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Blair → join → trips
The presence of these officials gives Trump access to advisers and aides during long flights between campaign stops, allowing political planning and discussions to continue while he travels.
Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather and other celebrities join campaign trips
Trump has also brought several well-known sports personalities aboard Air Force One as he campaigns for Republicans in potentially difficult midterm races.
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he → give → races
Boxing champions Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Evander Holyfield have all travelled with the president on separate occasions.
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champions → travel → occasions
Tyson and Holyfield have a notorious history: during their 1997 heavyweight championship bout, Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield’s right ear.
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Tyson → have → ear
The two former champions did not travel aboard Air Force One at the same time.
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champions → travel → time
…and 20 more, not listed.
The Aporia
