Trump Responds After Emergency Exit Deployed on Air Force One

President Donald Trump’s departure from Joint Base Andrews for Dallas was briefly delayed Wednesday after an emergency evacuation slide deployed from the Boeing 747 currently serving as his Air Force One.

Trump arrived at Andrews aboard Marine One but remained on the helicopter for roughly 20 minutes while Air Force personnel dealt with the slide, which had deployed from the aircraft’s front-right exit.

Reporters on the scene watched as crews inspected, deflated and eventually removed the large inflatable slide from the aircraft.

Reuters reported that a person briefed on the incident said military personnel accidentally triggered the slide. The White House, however, described the activity as a check to make sure the emergency equipment was functioning properly. The Air Force confirmed there had been an “emergency slide deployment” but did not immediately explain what caused it.

Trump eventually boarded the aircraft and was asked directly whether he was confident it was safe to fly.

His response:

“Yeah, I am, or I wouldn’t be on it.”

The incident comes amid continuing scrutiny of the Qatar-gifted 747. Trump began flying aboard the aircraft in July after an accelerated refurbishment, and he has said it will later be taken out of service for additional security upgrades.

The older blue-and-white Air Force One was also moved from a nearby hangar during the delay, adding to the unusual scene on the tarmac, although Trump ultimately continued to Dallas aboard the newer aircraft.

The plane completed the trip safely.

But watching an emergency evacuation slide suddenly inflate on the aircraft carrying the president of the United States is certainly not something you see every day.