President Donald Trump’s departure for a Republican convention in Dallas was briefly delayed on Wednesday after an emergency slide deployed on the Qatari-gifted aircraft he has been using as Air Force One.
Emergency slide inspection briefly delays Trump’s Air Force One departure
The inflatable slide was seen extended from the far side of the aircraft at Joint Base Andrews shortly before Trump was due to board for the flight to Texas. The president had arrived aboard Marine One at about 2:02 p.m. ET and remained inside the helicopter for more than 20 minutes as crews inspected the situation.
Trump later downplayed concerns, telling reporters that the slide deployment was connected to a safety check.
“They were doing a check on the slide, you know, in the emergency. So, I think it takes about 15 minutes,” Trump said before boarding the aircraft.
The slide was deployed from the right side of the Boeing 747, opposite the side normally used for the president's boarding. While the inspection was underway, the older presidential aircraft, identifiable by its light-blue paint scheme, was moved into position behind the newer jet as a backup.
Trump eventually stepped off Marine One at about 2:24 p.m. and boarded the Qatari-gifted aircraft after the slide had been dealt with.
Asked whether he knew why the inspection had been necessary and whether there had been a security concern, Trump said the crews wanted to ensure the aircraft was functioning properly.
“I guess they’ve already put it up. They want to make sure everything works perfectly,” he said.
A reporter then asked whether he was confident that the aircraft was safe to fly.
“Yeah, I am, or I wouldn’t be on it,” Trump replied.
The White House later referred questions about the incident to Trump's remarks. No additional explanation was immediately provided about what caused the slide to deploy.
The aircraft has attracted significant attention since Trump began using the customised Boeing 747 in July after accepting it as a gift from Qatar. The plane was rapidly renovated before entering presidential service, becoming a temporary replacement for the older Air Force One aircraft.
Wednesday's incident was particularly notable because Trump has repeatedly praised the newer aircraft and presented it as an upgrade over the ageing presidential jet that remains part of the fleet.
