President Donald Trump stopped at the Ocala International Airport last week en route to a speaking engagement in The Villages, marking at least the third time during his two terms in office that Air Force One has passed through the facility.
Local residents captured photos and video of President Trump’s arrival at the airport on Friday, May 1.
Social media influencer Yaj Lerom shared a brief video showing Air Force One landing at the airport, which is located at 1770 SW 60th Avenue.
After changing aircraft, the president was transported to The Villages High School in Middleton to speak at a campaign rally.
In the days leading up to Trump’s speaking engagement in The Villages, multiple aircraft, including MV-22B Ospreys, were seen traveling to and from the Ocala International Airport.
The brief visit to Ocala International Airport marks at least the third time Trump has passed through the city’s facility.
During Trump’s first visit to The Villages in 2019, the president stopped at the Ocala International Airport and briefly addressed local residents and media personnel on the tarmac.
In October 2020, the president held campaign rallies in The Villages and Ocala just days apart.
The trip on May 1 marked the president’s first engagement in The Villages since those rallies in 2020.
In addition to the individuals who gathered in support of the president last week, dozens also gathered in The Villages in protest of his visit.
In Ocala, Nature Coast Indivisible demonstrators took to an overpass on Interstate 75 with signs to voice their opinions, protesting for over 12 hours.
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