Update: Marine Corps Aircraft Thunder Into Southampton High School In 'Dry Run' Of Presidential Visit Saturday

The president's military escorts and Secret Service agents did a "dry run" on Wednesday afternoon of Mr. Trump's anticipated arrival in Southampton, landing two V-22 Osprey vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft and two helicopters on the athletic fields at Southampton High School.

The four aircraft, all painted in the olive green and white United States Marine Corps dressing of the president's short-range transports known as Marine One when the Commander In Chief is aboard, roared into Southampton Village from shortly before 4 p.m.

As they approached the high school campus, the two giant propellers on each Osprey aircraft rotated upward allowing the airplane to land gently like a helicopter. The helicopters followed close behind.

"It sounded like freight train was about to run me over, said Karen Agnese, who lives nearby and was walking her dog when the two aircraft swooped over her development.

A fireman at the scene said that the aircraft were doing a "dry run" for the president's visit on Saturday. He asked not to be named and said that he wasn't sure whether the president will be landing at the high school on Saturday or if they site was just a convenient location to practice.

A school official at the scene said she couldn't comment on whether the school property will be used on Saturday.

The president is due to attend a fundraising dinner party on Saturday night at a First Neck Lane home in Southampton Village.

President Donald Trump will visit the South Fork this weekend for a fundraising dinner in Southampton, according to his campaign.

In an email to supporters from the campaign, the president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, offers contributors a chance to “win” an invite to a dinner with the president in Southampton on August 8, through what is apparently a sweepstakes-like fundraising drive.

“He asked me to reach out to you because there’s not much time left and he [really] wants you to join him as his special VIP guest,” reads the email from the campaign, with Ms. Trump’s signature and photo at the bottom. “Remember, if you win, we’ll cover your flight and hotel, we’ll provide you with a 5-star dinner, [and] you’ll get to bring a guest of your choice. The President even requested that we set aside some time so that you two can take a photo together. This could be the trip of a lifetime to meet your favorite President, and all you have to do is enter. Don’t wait.”

The president’s son, Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is the head of the campaign’s fundraising effort, also posted a video to social media seeking to drum up financial support in exchange for a chance to win an invite to the party.

In a post on Instagram, the couple, who own a home in Bridgehampton, invited supporters to a “boat parade” in support of the president on Friday in the waters off Montauk Point. Mr. Trump Jr. said that the owner of the boat with the “most outrageous” display of support for the president will win an opportunity to “see the president with us” at the Saturday gathering.

Ms. Guilfoyle also solicited supporters to “bundle” contributions and said that most successful bundle would be invited to the party also.

The president has visited the South Fork for fundraising events in the past. In 2018, he attended a luncheon at the Southampton Village home of Douglas Elliman Chairman Howard Lorber. It is not known if this weekend’s event will be held at Mr. Lorber’s house. The president’s commerce secretary, Wilbur Ross, and treasury secretary, Steve Mnuchin, both also own homes in Southampton Village.