# POTUS alternative plans for weather. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2018, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349 "2018-11-11T09:31:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349/1 "2018-11-11T09:31:01Z")
Does the POTUS not have alternative travel plans in place for when the weather grounds his helicopter? ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349/2 "2018-11-11T09:40:03Z")
Apparently whenever the POTUS takes a helicopter there’s always a motorcade on stand-by in case of either weather or mechanical failure, though it may also have been delayed due to traffic concerns if they didn’t plan it out like they should have. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349/3 "2018-11-11T09:41:52Z")
[Apparently, Obama did.](https://twitter.com/brhodes/status/1061269550107250688) > [@](#): > > Ben Rhodes > ‏ > Verified account > @brhodes > Follow > Follow @brhodes > > More > Ben Rhodes Retweeted David Frum > I helped plan all of President Obama’s trips for 8 years. There is always a rain option. Always. ---
**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349/4 "2018-11-11T18:20:12Z")
When the weather is too bad at Camp David, Marine-1 has an alternate landing zone in Thurmont, then motorcade up to Camp. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349/5 "2018-11-11T18:45:56Z")
They always have contingency plans for bad weather. I remember when President George H.W. Bush once left his Maine seaside home a day or two early because the Secret Service was getting antsy about a major storm moving up the Atlantic coast. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349/6 "2018-11-11T20:07:35Z")
Yea, but contingency plans are easier in the US then abroad. And probably have a lot more flexibility. If the French say “non” to the only other option, what exactly is the staff to do? ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349/7 "2018-11-11T21:27:28Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Yea, but contingency plans are easier in the US then abroad. And probably have a lot more flexibility. > If the French say “non” to the only other option, what exactly is the staff to do? Call in a U.S.M.C. detachment. Seriously, if the POTUS needs to get somewhere while overseas then the host country will pretty much move Heaven and Earth to make it happen (especially if the movement is dictated by safety concerns). They do this because they know that if they don’t, we will. Less paperwork and unwanted attention all the way around if they make every effort to ensure things go smoothly. ---
**Author:** ![DCTrekkie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dctrekkie/32/18862_2.png) [@DCTrekkie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCTrekkie)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349/8 "2018-11-11T21:34:04Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Yea, but contingency plans are easier in the US then abroad. And probably have a lot more flexibility. > If the French say “non” to the only other option, what exactly is the staff to do? Did the French say no to an alternate plan? It sounds like Trump just couldn’t be bothered. Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/potus-alternative-plans-for-weather/824349/9 "2018-11-11T22:34:31Z")
Other world leaders took cars to the ceremony. Security wasn’t an issue for any of them. A car was available to Trump.