Problems with the new Air Force Boeing 747 gifted to the U.S. by the Qatari government continue to raise concerns about President Donald Trump’s safety.
Trump’s departure from Joint Base Andrews was briefly delayed Wednesday after an emergency evacuation slide unexpectedly deployed from the Qatari-donated Boeing 747 now being used as Air Force One.
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The unusual scene unfolded as Trump prepared to fly to Dallas for the Republican Party’s midterm convention.
Marine One landed near the presidential aircraft shortly before departure, but Trump remained aboard the helicopter for approximately 20 minutes while Air Force personnel worked around the jet.
Reporters traveling with the president could see a large inflatable evacuation slide extending from the aircraft’s front-right door to the tarmac. The slide was located on the opposite side of the plane from the entrance Trump normally uses to board.
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At roughly the same time, the traditional blue-and-white Air Force One was moved out of a nearby hangar and positioned several hundred yards behind the newer aircraft, raising questions about whether Trump might be forced to switch planes.
Trump eventually emerged from Marine One and told reporters that crews were checking the emergency equipment.
“So they’re checking the slide over here,” Trump said. “They were doing a check on the slide, you know?”
Asked whether there was a security problem with the aircraft, Trump said there was not.
“They were checking it before, and they just wanted to make sure,” he said. “They want to make sure everything works perfectly.”
Trump also expressed confidence that the aircraft was safe to fly.
Asked whether he was satisfied with its safety, he responded, “Yeah, I am — or I wouldn’t be on it.”
🚨 UPDATE: President Trump confirms the emergency slide on Air Force One was deployed during a “TEST”
He said it caused about a 15 minute delay, so 47 decided to go shoot the sh*t with the media until they cut the slide off the plane 😂
There is NO security threat, thankfully. https://t.co/VIwv9RJxIL pic.twitter.com/ProsC5wMPV
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 9, 2026
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The precise reason the slide deployed was initially unclear.
The White House characterized the episode as a check of the aircraft’s safety equipment, while the Associated Press reported that it could not immediately be determined whether the slide had been intentionally inflated as part of testing or had deployed accidentally.
Reuters subsequently reported that military personnel accidentally triggered the slide while working on the plane.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung did not provide additional detail about what caused the deployment.
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“As the President has said, the slide was checked out to make sure everything works perfectly,” Cheung said.
An Air Force spokesperson similarly confirmed an “emergency slide deployment” but did not initially say whether it was intentional. The service said the aircraft continued safely on its planned route.
Crews ultimately deflated, detached and removed the slide while Trump boarded the aircraft.
The plane departed Joint Base Andrews and landed in Dallas several hours later without further incident.
The episode attracted additional attention because of the unusual history of the aircraft involved.
The Boeing 747-8 was offered to the United States by Qatar’s royal family and formally accepted by the Defense Department in May 2025 for potential use as a presidential aircraft.
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The jet was valued at approximately $400 million before the extensive modifications needed to convert it for presidential travel.
Its acceptance generated significant political controversy.
Critics raised questions about accepting such an expensive gift from a foreign government and about the cost and security challenges involved in converting a commercial VIP aircraft into a plane suitable for transporting the president.
The Trump administration maintained that accepting the aircraft was lawful and financially advantageous to the government, particularly as Boeing continued struggling with delays involving two new VC-25B aircraft originally ordered to replace the aging presidential fleet.
Presidential aircraft require capabilities well beyond those of conventional commercial jets.
The Defense Department says the permanent VC-25B replacement fleet is being equipped with secure communications, military avionics, self-defense systems, upgraded electrical power and other features designed to allow the president to continue carrying out his constitutional responsibilities while airborne.
The donated plane underwent an accelerated refurbishment before Trump began using it July 1.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
