Washington, DC, Sept. 10 – U.S. President Donald Trump departed Washington, DC on Wednesday aboard the Qatar-gifted Air Force One after an emergency slide accidentally deployed at Joint Base Andrews. Military personnel triggered the inflatable evacuation slide shortly before boarding for Dallas and the Republican midterm convention, briefly delaying the departure until the slide was removed. Trump said the plane was safe to fly or he would not board it as crews checked the Boeing 747-8 feature for thirty-foot descents.
🔴 Le toboggan d’évacuation du nouvel Air Force One s’est déployé alors que l’appareil était stationné sur le tarmac de la base aérienne d’Andrews.
— air plus news (@airplusnews) September 9, 2026
Donald Trump serait toujours à bord de Marine One au moment de l’incident. pic.twitter.com/a635tMGIpN
The Boeing 747-8 typically has twelve emergency inflatable slides. The deployed slide was taken away after tarmac activation. Trump started flying the jumbo jet gifted by Qatar on July 1 after renovations following last year’s acceptance.
Crews inspected the emergency slide on the Qatar-gifted Air Force One to confirm perfect operation before Maryland takeoff. The delay allowed Trump to reach the Republican National Midterm Convention in Dallas on the renovated plane, ensuring systems function on the gifted jet used as Air Force One.
The Qatar-gifted Air Force One faces October security upgrades lasting sixty days. This occurred during official travel preparations after the July debut. Departure from Joint Base Andrews proceeded once the slide was secured for the Texas flight attending the first midterm convention.