President Donald Trump’s departure from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, was briefly delayed on September 9, 2026, after an inflatable emergency slide deployed from the new Qatari-gifted Air Force One as he prepared to board for a trip to Dallas, Texas.
The incident occurred as Marine One, the presidential helicopter, touched down near the aircraft. Trump remained aboard Marine One while ground crews addressed the deployed slide, which extended from the right-side front door of the new jet. The older blue-and-white Air Force One was moved into position as a backup.
Trump addresses delay
After exiting Marine One approximately 15 minutes later, Trump told reporters the slide deployment was part of a routine safety inspection. He stated that workers were "doing a check on the slide" and that it would take about 15 minutes to address before the aircraft was deemed safe to fly.
"They were checking it before," Trump said. "They want to make sure everything works perfectly."
The slide was subsequently deflated and removed by ground crews, and Trump boarded the aircraft without further incident. The president departed for Dallas as scheduled to attend the Republican National Midterm Convention.
Background on the new aircraft
The Qatari-gifted Boeing 747 has faced scrutiny since its unveiling earlier in the summer. Concerns over its security and operational readiness prompted Trump to abandon the aircraft in Turkey in July 2026 following a credible missile threat. He was secretly transported to England on a smaller plane and later returned to the U.S. aboard the older Air Force One.
The White House subsequently announced that Trump would continue using the older aircraft while the new jet underwent additional security enhancements. The president is scheduled to take the new jet on an overseas trip to Ireland later this month.
Air Force One operations at Joint Base Andrews
Joint Base Andrews serves as the primary departure point for presidential travel. The deployment of Marine One and the positioning of the older Air Force One as a backup reflect standard operational protocols during travel delays or equipment checks.
Ground crews at the base confirmed that the slide deployment was an isolated maintenance check and did not indicate an emergency or security concern. The incident was resolved without disrupting Trump’s travel schedule.