Emergency slide deployed on new Air Force One during safety check

<p>An emergency slide deployment on the Air Force One, gifted by Qatar, raised questions at Joint Base Andrews (JBA) on September 9, 2026, before President Donald Trump clarified that it was part of a safety check.</p><p>"They were checking it before, and they just wanted to make sure," Trump told reporters on the tarmac after exiting Marine One. "So they’ve, I guess, already put it up. They want to make sure everything works perfectly." </p><p>The incident occurred after Marine One stopped near the presidential aircraft, with Trump remaining aboard the helicopter, while the slide was seen extending from the plane.</p><p>The White House print pool reported observing what appeared to be an inflatable emergency slide deployed from the right side front door of the Boeing 747. This door is opposite the entrance Trump typically uses to board the plane.</p><p>Simultaneously, the older white-and-blue Air Force One was seen moving out of its hangar and into position a few hundred yards behind the newer aircraft, deploying its front and rear stairs.</p><p>The door of Marine One remained closed as of 2:19 p.m., according to the pool, raising questions about whether the slide deployment had disrupted the president’s travel plans.</p><p>Trump later exited the helicopter and stated that the equipment had been tested to ensure it was functioning properly, indicating that there had not been an emergency aboard the aircraft.</p><p>When asked if he was confident the plane was safe to fly, Trump replied, "I am. I am. Or I wouldn’t be on it." </p><p>It was not immediately clear whether the safety check would affect which plane Trump would use for his next flight.</p>