Story perspectives

Trump Boards Marine One as Chair Size Sparks Criticism

By Drooid · Oct 15, 2026, 11:50 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump boarded Marine One with aides Natalie Harp, Katie Zacharia and Susie Wiles.
New York Times photographer Doug Mills captured the boarding, and the image quickly went viral.
Critics mocked Trump’s size, saying his body filled the oversized gray chair.
Viewers linked swelling in Trump’s ankles to chronic venous insufficiency.
Katie Zacharia replaced Karoline Leavitt as press secretary, announced Friday.

History

Historical Context

Presidential helicopter transport began in 1957 when Eisenhower flew a Bell UH-13J to his Pennsylvania retreat, and by the early 1960s Kennedy routinely used Marine One, creating iconic images of presidential travel. The Marine Corps now manages a 37-helicopter HMX-1 fleet, and the visual impact of such flights continues to shape media coverage, as seen in Trump’s recent boarding.

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Story summary

U.S. President Donald Trump boarded Marine One with aides Natalie Harp, Katie Zacharia and Susie Wiles.
New York Times photographer Doug Mills captured the boarding, and the image quickly went viral.
Critics mocked Trump’s size, saying his body filled the oversized gray chair.
Viewers linked swelling in Trump’s ankles to chronic venous insufficiency.
Katie Zacharia replaced Karoline Leavitt as press secretary, announced Friday.

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