Trump rarely joins Melania in private Air Force One cabin on long flights, stays awake watching Fox News: Report
President Donald Trump reportedly never sleeps when on board Air Force One and wakes up aides at any hour he wishes to "catch up or gossip" or discuss unfavorable media coverage, according to reports.
His administration's current and former officials have claimed that White House trips can be tiresome and often mean long hours, however, multiple officials privately said that the overseas flights are the worst.
Reports state that flight duration can stretch to nearly 20 hours and sleeping space is limited. However, Trump stays awake throughout, watching Fox News, and staff are always on edge whenever there are negative headlines about him, according to CNN.
When the Republican first took office in 2016, staffers reportedly clamored to travel on overseas trip. However, three years later, multiple officials told the outlet that they do their best to avoid staffing the trips due to their chaotic nature.
They claim that the president generally stays in the front cabin during flights and eats, watches television or reads newspapers. He reportedly also talks with staff and makes calls to friends and supporters back home. According to one official's claims, if Trump sees something on the television that upsets him, "which he invariably will", he asks them to rectify it.
Trump reportedly also spends hours reviewing cable news coverage or goes through cardboard boxes full of newspapers and magazines lugged abroad. Reports state that he also has a tendency to wake sleeping staffers and bring them to his office when the plane is dark to discuss his upcoming meetings or devise a response to negative media coverage. He even talks to his aides about sports or gossip at home despite being encouraged to join First Lady Melania Trump in their private cabin to get some rest.
Another official told CNN that the Trump fixates on a negative headline that day instead of looking over his remarks for upcoming bilateral meetings or going through a briefing book.
"He will not go to sleep," one staffer claimed. Trump on previous occasions has said that he only sleeps for four to five hours at the White House and doesn't require much sleep. He sleeps for even fewer hours when he flies, according to officials who go along with him.
Reports state that there are no designated sleeping spots on the plane, so staffers generally sleep on miniature couches or lean back in office chairs with their feet propped up on their desk. Others reportedly spread out on the floors of conference rooms or on leather benches along the side of the plane. Staffers who are more seasoned bring yoga mats to soften the floor while they rest.
Trump reportedly limits foreign travel to one or two countries at a time and crams meetings into a few days to minimize the time spent in other countries. He also prefers to arrive at his destination and go straight to the hotel, even for a few hours.
While his predecessors have had a history of flying at night to save time, Trump generally reaches his destination at night and starts his talks the next day.