The story became an issue after Trump spoke about it on Thursday when answering questions about Brown’s relationship with Kamala Harris, who dated in the 1990s.
Trump was asked whether he thought the relationship had influenced Ms. Harris’s career path, which took her from being a prosecutor to being elected district attorney in San Francisco in 2002.
“I know Willie Brown very well,” Trump said before recounting his memories of the flight.
“We thought this might be the end,” Trump said. “We were in a helicopter… and there was an emergency landing. It was not a fun landing.”
He claimed the former mayor had said “horrible things” about Ms. Harris.
“He played a huge role in the Kamala case,” Trump said.
Mr. Brown, 90, told US media that he has never been in a helicopter with President Trump, adding: “I would never want to be in a helicopter like that.”
He also denied making any disparaging remarks about Ms. Harris.
“It's just so outrageous and unbelievable,” he said., external Local TV station KRON. “I couldn't think of Kamala Harris in any negative way.
“She was a good friend of mine from the beginning, a really beautiful woman, incredibly smart, and very successful in elections.
“He was doing what Donald does best: creative fiction.”
Despite the former San Francisco mayor's vehement denial, Trump insisted the story was true in a phone call with The New York Times., external“I would probably sue,” he said, without elaborating.
Campaign spokesman Stephen Chung posted a page from a book titled “Letter to Trump” that included a photo of former President Trump and Ms. Brown, along with a caption referencing the helicopter incident.
Meanwhile, Mr. Holden, 95, a former Los Angeles city council member and state senator, told American media that he has vivid memories of his helicopter ride with Trump.
In the 1990s, Trump attempted to develop real estate in Los Angeles.
Mr. Holden said he had a particularly violent helicopter ride when he visited an Atlantic City casino with Trump in 1990.
The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in New Jersey due to mechanical failure.
Others speculated that the 78-year-old Trump might have confused Willie Brown with former California Gov. Jerry Brown, who flew with him on a helicopter to visit the Paradise fires in 2018. Current Gov. Gavin Newsom was also on the plane.
However, both men told U.S. media that there was no emergency landing or hazardous situation on the flight.
A recent poll showed Trump trailing Harris after Trump held an hour-long press conference at his Mar-a-Lago retreat.
According to a poll conducted by The New York Times and Siena College from August 5 to 9, Harris leads Trump 50 percent to 46 percent in three key battleground states: Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
According to the RealClearPolitics polling average, Ms. Harris is slightly ahead in the popular vote, but Mr. Trump maintains a lead in several key battleground states.
