US President Donald Trump has explained the brief delay to his flight to Texas after an emergency evacuation slide deployed on the new Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday.
Trump said military personnel were carrying out checks on the aircraft's emergency slide before he boarded the Boeing 747-8 for Dallas, where he was scheduled to attend the Republican National Midterm Convention.
The unexpected deployment caused a short delay, with Trump initially telling reporters that the flight would be held up for around 15 minutes. Reports citing people familiar with the incident said the slide was accidentally activated by military personnel. The US Air Force had not publicly provided a detailed explanation of the incident at the time of reporting.
Slide Deploys Before Departure
The emergency slide was deployed shortly before Trump was scheduled to leave Washington for Texas.
Images from Joint Base Andrews showed the large inflatable evacuation chute extended from the aircraft as preparations for the presidential flight were underway.
Trump was asked about the incident before boarding Air Force One. He said personnel had been checking the slide and wanted to ensure that it was functioning properly.
The deployment temporarily interrupted preparations for the presidential flight but did not prevent Trump from eventually travelling to Dallas.
Trump Says Checks Were Routine
Asked why personnel were inspecting the slide, Trump said the checks were conducted to make sure the equipment worked properly.
“They were checking it before,” Trump told reporters, explaining that the personnel wanted to ensure that everything was functioning as expected.
Trump also dismissed suggestions that the incident indicated a security problem.
When asked whether he was confident the aircraft was safe to fly, the president replied that he was, adding that he would not board the plane if he believed it was unsafe.
Reports Point to Accidental Activation
While Trump described the incident as part of an equipment check, people familiar with the matter told Reuters that military personnel had accidentally triggered the emergency slide.
The exact circumstances surrounding the deployment have not been publicly detailed by the Air Force.
The distinction is significant because emergency slides are designed for evacuation and are not normally deployed during routine boarding preparations. Once activated, an inflatable slide must generally be removed and replaced or repacked before the aircraft can be used normally.
The Air Force had not immediately responded to requests for comment on the incident.
Boeing 747-8 Has Multiple Slides
The aircraft involved is a Boeing 747-8, a large four-engine wide-body aircraft used for the presidential fleet.
The aircraft has multiple emergency evacuation slides positioned at its passenger doors. These systems are designed to allow people to evacuate rapidly from the aircraft when its doors are several metres above the ground.
An accidental deployment therefore requires ground personnel to deal with the inflated equipment before the aircraft can continue its operation.
In Wednesday's incident, the deployed slide was subsequently seen being removed from the aircraft.
Qatar-Gifted Aircraft in Focus
The aircraft has attracted considerable attention because Trump began using the Qatar-provided Boeing 747-8 as Air Force One earlier this year.
Trump accepted the aircraft as a gift from Qatar in 2025, and the plane underwent an accelerated effort to prepare it for presidential use.
The arrangement has generated political and ethical debate in the United States because of the value of the aircraft and questions surrounding the acceptance of a foreign government's gift by a sitting US president.
The White House has defended the arrangement, while critics have raised concerns about security and potential conflicts of interest.
Security Upgrades Planned
The aircraft is also scheduled to undergo further work later this year.
Trump said last week that the 747 would be taken out of service in October for security upgrades expected to last around 60 days.
The planned modifications come as the administration continues efforts to adapt the aircraft for presidential operations.
The incident at Joint Base Andrews therefore comes at a time when the Qatar-provided aircraft is already under scrutiny over its security, refurbishment and long-term use.
Flight Continues to Dallas
Despite the unexpected deployment, Trump ultimately departed Washington for Dallas.
The incident caused only a brief disruption to his travel schedule, and there was no indication that the president's flight faced a continuing safety problem after the slide was removed.
Trump's comments suggest that officials considered the aircraft safe enough for departure after the checks were completed.
However, with the Air Force yet to publicly disclose a detailed account of exactly how the slide was activated, questions remain about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The episode is likely to attract further attention as the Qatar-provided aircraft continues to serve as Trump's presidential aircraft and undergoes additional security-related modifications.
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