President Donald Trump’s departure for the Republican Midterm Convention was delayed Wednesday after an emergency evacuation slide deployed from the new Air Force One while the president waited nearby aboard Marine One, according to a report.
Trump remained inside the presidential helicopter after it landed as crews dealt with the unexpected issue involving the Qatari-donated Boeing 747 that has recently joined the presidential fleet.
The president later told reporters the delay stemmed from a safety check involving the aircraft’s evacuation equipment.
‘They were doing a check on the slide. I think it takes 15 minutes,’ Trump told reporters after finally stepping off the helicopter. ‘They wanted to make sure it’s going to work perfectly.’
Marine One reportedly sat on the tarmac with its door closed while ground crews worked around the new presidential jet.
During the delay, the older blue-and-white Air Force One was reportedly moved from a nearby hangar and positioned several hundred yards behind the newer aircraft.
Its front and rear stairways were lowered as crews appeared to prepare for the possibility that Trump might need to switch planes.
#DEVELOPING: The emergency slide has deployed on the new Qatar-donated Air Force One while on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews. President Trump is reportedly still inside Marine One waiting to disembark. pic.twitter.com/yEAg1i52k1
— Luke Brenner (@TheLukeReport) September 9, 2026
Minutes later, an inflatable emergency slide was seen extending from the right-side forward door of the new Air Force One, opposite the entrance normally used by the president.
The White House did not immediately provide a detailed public explanation for the incident beyond Trump’s comments about the slide inspection.
The episode comes as the new presidential aircraft continues to face scrutiny over its conversion and security capabilities.
The Boeing 747-8 was donated by Qatar and rapidly modified for presidential use before entering service earlier this year.
Trump temporarily stopped using the jet after a highly unusual incident in Turkey in July, when security officials urged him to depart on another aircraft amid heightened concerns tied to tensions with Iran.
During that operation, Trump was discreetly moved from the Qatari-donated aircraft and transferred using an airport catering vehicle before boarding a smaller military plane.
The president later said the new Air Force One would receive additional upgrades and be “maxed out” before returning to more regular use.
The White House has maintained that the aircraft is safe for presidential travel, while acknowledging that further upgrades and enhancements were planned.
Trump was scheduled to travel to Dallas for the Republican Party’s two-day midterm convention, an unusual national gathering designed to showcase GOP candidates and the party’s agenda ahead of the November elections.
The aircraft issue briefly complicated those travel plans, with the older presidential jet positioned nearby while crews inspected the emergency equipment on the newer plane.
Trump ultimately emerged from Marine One after the delay and indicated that the inspection was intended to ensure the emergency slide was functioning properly.
