Pilot scolds plane load of Congress members as Trump show leaves them grounded

A bipartisan group of Congress members sat grounded on a runway for more than an hour Thursday — all because of an airshow rehearsal for Trump's White House UFC fight.

Politico Playbook's Adam Wren reported the delegation was stuck aboard a Delta flight from Washington to Detroit. Among the stranded passengers: Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Shri Thanedar (D-MI), alongside Republican Reps. Lisa McClain (R-MI) and Bob Latta (R-OH).

The pilot told them there could be no traffic out of Reagan National Airport because of an airshow rehearsal tied to Sunday's UFC Freedom 250 event — President Donald Trump's marquee White House fight card, scheduled for the South Lawn on June 14, the president's 80th birthday.

He added that, if they had complaints, they should call their representatives in Congress.

When asked about the delay, the White House didn't apologize. "There were planned, temporary airspace holds put in place while crews performed a rehearsal in relation to Sunday's historic UFC Freedom 250 event," a spokesperson said.