Why Eric Trump's Flight Back To NYC Is Turning Heads
The Trumps have long been used to living a lavish lifestyle, even more so before Donald Trump's presidency, but could their cash cow be running dry? Without the government services they have grown accustomed to, it looks like they've had to scale down, despite previously boasting about their personal wealth. In fact, now that Air Force One is not at their disposal, the former president's second eldest son, Eric Trump, was spotted traveling commercial and — get this — in coach.
It's unclear why Eric didn't borrow his father's own Boeing 757, but the former first son was seen with his wife, Lara Trump, and their two children onboard a Delta flight from Palm Beach, Fla. to New York City on Jan. 24, 2021, eyewitnesses told TMZ. However, not all their luxuries were lost, since Trump extended post-presidency Secret Service protection for all of his children before he left office. Eric and his family were seen being escorted onto the plane by Secret Service agents rather than waiting in the terminal with other passengers.
Keep scrolling for more details about Eric Trump's flight in coach — just like the rest of us.
Eric Trump mingled like an average joe
Upon leaving Palm Beach, Fla., where the first family fled after Donald Trump left office and skipped out on President Joe Biden's inauguration, Eric Trump and his family were just like everyone else on their commercial flight back to New York. Eric was seen doing the usual dad duties and putting their carry-on luggage in the overhead bins. As for Lara Trump, she was seen doing every mom's unofficial job on a plane: taking her kids to the bathroom a number of times, sources told TMZ. It's unclear if Eric slept through their bathroom breaks, but if he's anything like our dads, he probably pretended to be out cold. However, their children were very "well behaved," according to TMZ's eyewitnesses.
Additionally, Eric and Lara were "very friendly" with their fellow passengers and "didn't seem a bit worried about drawing attention to themselves," TMZ reported. In fact, Eric even posed for some selfies and grinned behind his USA face mask. Despite their travel arrangements, it seems like it is business as usual for the Trumps.
What's in New York for Eric Trump?
It's a fair question. Why on earth is Eric Trump returning to New York? While they had their empire headquartered in the Big Apple prior to Donald Trump's presidency, it's a totally different terrain post-presidency for the entire family.
Following the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, many businesses pulled away from the Trump Organization. In fact, New York City nixed their ties by canceling multi-million-dollar contracts. Mayor Bill de Blasio said, "The contracts make very clear that if the company and the leadership of that company is engaged in illegal activity, we have a right to sever the contract. Inciting an insurrection against the United States government clearly constitutes criminal activity," per NBC News.
The mayor added, "The City of New York will not be associated with those unforgivable acts in any shape, way or form, and we are immediately taking steps to terminate all Trump Organization contracts." Since the 1980s, the Trump Organization has run "Central Park's Wollman and Lasker ice skating rinks" as well as the carousel.
Since Eric works as the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, it's entirely likely he jetted back to New York to attempt a recovery of these assets. In an interview with The Associated Press shortly after this news broke, Eric was "unruffled but combative" (via ABC27). He didn't blame the riots, but instead called it "cancel culture" in his long and potentially futile fight to get the Trump Organization back on top.
Many of the Trump kids have been spotted in coach
Perhaps surprisingly, Eric Trump's flight back to New York City in coach — along with his wife, Lara Trump, and their children — wasn't the first time the Trump's have jetted in an economical way. However, in some cases, they used the experience of flying coach to pitch an image of themselves as the "average" person. In February 2020, Donald Trump Jr. made much of his experience of flying coach, sharing a selfie on Instagram that a fan took with him on the plane. "I am not an elitist," he began the caption. He then added some "normal guy" cred by saying, "I like fishing, hunting, red meat, trucks and guns."
Meanwhile, in 2017, Don Jr. and Eric Trump flew to Dubai to deal with family business and the trip cost taxpayers $200,000, according to Newsweek, for expenses including Secret Service protection, hotels, and yes, airfare. Not an elitist?
Ivanka Trump has also been spotted flying in a more "average" way. In 2016, when Donald Trump was the president-elect, she and her husband, Jared Kushner, took a JetBlue flight departing from NYC, according to the Palm Beach Post. The flight made headlines because another passenger was accused of harassing her by saying, "Your father is ruining the country." That individual and their partner were put on a later flight. Hey, at least Ivanka didn't take a selfie to try to prove how "normal" she is in the midst of it.