USA09 September, 20263 min read
Donald Trump’s Qatar-Gifted Air Force One Delayed After Emergency Slide Deploys at Joint Base Andrews
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Emergency inflatable slide deployed on Qatar-gifted Air Force One on the tarmac. The delay lasted roughly 15–20 minutes before Trump boarded for Dallas.
Slide triggers delay
President Donald Trump’s departure for the Republican midterm convention was delayed at Joint Base Andrews after an emergency inflatable slide deployed on the Qatar-gifted Air Force One before he boarded. Trump remained aboard Marine One for about 20 minutes after landing, and at about 2:20 p.m. the slide rolled out onto the tarmac from the right side of the aircraft, opposite the side typically used by Trump to board. Asked whether he was sure the aircraft was safe to fly, Trump told reporters, "Yeah, I am, or I wouldn't be on it."
“Yeah, I am, or I wouldn't be on it.”
The slide was later deflated and taken away by workers, and the plane took off without incident, with the older Air Force One arriving as a backup. The Independent reported the new Air Force One is a $400 million Boeing 747‑8 gifted by Qatar’s royal family last year, and it said the slide deployment happened as Trump waited to board for Dallas.
What Trump said
Trump described the deployment as routine checks, telling reporters, "They were doing a check on the slide, you know?" as the emergency inflatable chute was seen extending from the plane.
The Fox News report said the White House print pool spotted an inflatable emergency slide deployed from the right side front door of the Qatari-gifted Boeing 747, with that door opposite the entrance Trump typically uses to board.
CBS News said the president approached reporters and said workers were examining the slide, claiming nothing was wrong with the safety feature, and it quoted him saying, "So they're checking the slide over here."
CNN likewise reported Trump suggested the deployment was intentional, quoting him that, "in the emergency. So, I think it takes about 15 minutes," before he boarded the Qatar-gifted jet.
After the slide was deflated and hauled away, Reuters reported that several minutes later the emergency slide was being taken away and Trump started flying aboard the jumbo jet on July 1 after accepting the plane as a gift last year.
Security and next flight
The Independent tied the episode to earlier security questions around the Qatar-gifted aircraft, saying in July Trump switched aircraft while leaving a NATO summit in Turkey after U.S. officials received intelligence of a potential Iranian assassination threat. It also cited a White House spokesperson’s pushback to The New York Times, quoting the spokesperson: "The new Air Force One is a state-of-the-art aircraft that has been fitted with high-level security protocols". Reuters said the slide appeared to have deployed shortly before Trump was due to board to travel to Dallas for the first-ever Republican midterm convention, and it described Trump remaining on Marine One for about 20 minutes after landing.
“Yeah, I am, or I wouldn't be on it.”
The Daily Mail reported Trump was scheduled to deliver remarks at the GOP Midterm Convention in Dallas at 8:15 pm local time, and it said Air Force One eventually took off just after 3:00 pm local time. In the same coverage, the Daily Mail said the procedure was expected to take about 15 minutes, and it described Trump’s response when asked if the plane was safe to fly as, "Yeah, I am, or I wouldn't be on it."