An emergency inflatable slide deployed unexpectedly on President Donald Trump’s Qatari-gifted Air Force One on Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews, causing a brief delay before his scheduled departure for the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas.
Speaking to reporters on the tarmac, the president explained that maintenance crews were performing an inspection. “We are doing a check on the slide,” Trump stated, estimating the process would take approximately 15 minutes. He subsequently assured the press pool that the aircraft was safe for travel.
The incident occurred prior to boarding as the presidential fleet prepared to transport the commander-in-chief to Dallas for the upcoming political gathering. No injuries were reported, and the flight proceeded after the safety check was completed.
Glad no one was hurt, but I wouldn’t want to be the tech checking that slide right before a mid-term convention trip.
Love how they mentioned the Qatari gift in the headline. Really sets the tone for a routine maintenance check, doesn’t it?
Inflatable slide deployment is standard safety protocol, not a malfunction. Probably just a routine pressure test before the long flight.