Inflatable Slide Deployed on Air Force One Before Trump's Trip to Dallas

An inflatable slide was deployed on President Donald Trump's Air Force One, which was gifted by Qatar, at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday afternoon prior to his departure for the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas. Trump informed reporters that the slide was being checked, stating, "They’re checking the slide over here. And I think it's gonna take 15 minutes. They were doing a check on the slide, you know, the emergency -- so I think it takes about 15 minutes." He assured that the plane was safe to fly, saying, "Yeah, I am, or I wouldn't be on it." When asked by ABC News about the reason for the slide check and any potential security concerns, Trump indicated that the intention was to ensure it "works perfectly." Typically, slides are not deployed for checks before departure due to the time-consuming nature of removing and replacing them. The slide was later removed from the plane and transported away on a pick-up truck before the flight to Dallas commenced. Trump's previous Air Force One was positioned as a backup option. The newly retrofitted Air Force One, valued at $400 million, has drawn scrutiny from some lawmakers and ethics experts regarding the acceptance of foreign gifts. Trump previously described the aircraft as "the world's most luxurious plane" and mentioned plans to enhance it further. Earlier this year, he reportedly switched planes discreetly while departing a NATO summit in Turkey due to threats from Iran. ABC News' Sam Sweeney and Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.