Donald Trump has travelled to Montana for a rally intended to drum up support for ousting the state’s Democratic senator – but the former president’s plane first had to divert to an airport on the other side of the Rocky Mountains because of a mechanical issue, according to airport staff.
Mr Trump’s aircraft was heading to Bozeman, Montana, when it was diverted on Friday afternoon to Billings, 142 miles to the east, according to Jenny Mockel, administrative assistant at Billings Logan International Airport.
Mr Trump continued to Bozeman via private jet.
On Friday, Mr Trump ripped into the three-term senator, mocking him for being overweight and for insinuating he sometimes sided with the former president.
“He voted to impeach me — that guy voted to impeach me,” Mr Trump said of Mr Tester, whom he called a “slob” with “the biggest stomach I’ve ever seen”.
Mr Trump also invited to the stage Texas representative Ronny Jackson, his former White House physician, to further slam Montana’s senior senator.
The senator has tried to convince voters he’s aligned with Mr Trump on many issues, mirroring his successful strategy from six years ago. While that worked in a non-presidential election year, it faces a more critical test this autumn with Mr Tester’s opponent, former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, trying to link the three-term incumbent to Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Mr Trump kicked off his rally about 90 minutes behind schedule and immediately began attacking Mr Tester.
Ms Harris has benefited nationally from a burst of enthusiasm among core Democratic constituencies, who coalesced quickly around her after President Joe Biden withdrew from the campaign last month.
She has drawn big crowds in swing states, touring this week with Minnesota governor Tim Walz, her choice to be her vice presidential nominee.
Mr Trump’s only rally this week, meanwhile, was in a state he won by 16 percentage points four years ago rather than a November battleground.
Facing new pressure in the race from a candidate with surging enthusiasm, Mr Trump called questions about his lack of swing state stops “stupid”.
“I don’t have to go there because I’m leading those states,” he said on Thursday.
“I’m going because I want to help senators and congressmen get elected.”
He will make fundraising visits in Wyoming and Colorado.