Reporters crowded around President Trump on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews after an emergency evacuation slide deployed from the new Air Force One and briefly delayed his departure for Texas.
The president remained aboard Marine One for several minutes while crews worked near the aircraft. When he stepped out, he walked directly toward the press and began answering questions about what had happened.
Footage captured a large inflatable slide hanging from the right side of the plane as Marine One sat nearby. Trump stated that personnel were inspecting the equipment to ensure it functioned properly, described the delay as brief, and indicated the check would take approximately 15 minutes.
The emergency slide had inflated before President Trump boarded the new aircraft and extended from the plane to the ground. A backup Air Force One was positioned nearby while he waited to leave Marine One. Crews eventually deflated the slide and removed it.
After the equipment check concluded, the new aircraft departed without further incident for Dallas, where Trump was scheduled to attend the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention. The president characterized the work as a test of the emergency slide.
