President Donald Trump’s motorcade reached speeds approaching 100 mph on wet highways Thursday after bad weather grounded his aircraft, prompting the president to boast about the high-speed transit in real time on social media. Trump found himself on this impromptu drive while journeying from a campaign event at a Peterbilt Motors plant in Denton, Texas, to a rally situated approximately 90 miles away in Durant, Oklahoma.
Typically, the president would make the trip by air, but conditions prevented planes and helicopters from landing in Oklahoma. Rather than postpone the rally, Trump opted for the presidential motorcade. “The Beast is going faster than it has ever gone before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to the heavily armored presidential limousine. Reporters traveling with the president confirmed the unusually speedy trip, noting that a White House press van reached 98 mph at one point while speeding north toward Oklahoma, according to Reuters and CBS News.
Stormy Weather Disrupts Aviation Plans
Staff members advised abandoning flight plans and suggested calling off the Oklahoma event altogether because severe weather rendered both helicopter and plane travel unsafe, prompting the shift to a ground journey instead. Trump recalled telling his staff to check the maximum capabilities of his ground transport. “We could go close to 100 miles per hour,” Trump told supporters onstage, recounting his dialogue with aides. “Get your asses in that car. We’re going to Oklahoma.”
Along the route, the president provided a second public update on Truth Social just over 20 minutes after his initial post, declaring, “I’m almost there Oklahoma — 10 minutes!” Despite the high-speed driving across highways where speed limits range from 45 mph to 75 mph depending on the stretch of road, the motorcade arrived in Durant nearly two hours behind schedule. No injuries were reported during the high-speed motorcade, and the president did not provide a measured speed for the Beast itself.
Campaign Blitz Ahead of Midterms
The Oklahoma rally formed part of a 32-day campaign blitz ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Earlier in the day, Trump appeared with Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton in Texas before heading north to campaign in Durant for Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei and U.S. Senate candidate Kevin Hern. Addressing the gathered crowd, the president emphasized his electoral history in the state, noting that he had won all 77 counties in each of his three presidential campaigns.
No injuries were reported during the high-speed motorcade.
