Posted on 09/09/2026 1:05:19 PM PDT by Miami Rebel
An emergency slide deployment on the Qatari-gifted Air Force One raised questions at Joint Base Andrews Wednesday before President Donald Trump revealed it was part of a safety check.
"They were checking it before, and they just wanted to make sure," Trump told reporters on the tarmac after exiting Marine One. "So they’ve, I guess, already put it up. They want to make sure everything works perfectly."
The unusual scene unfolded after Marine One rolled to a stop near the presidential aircraft, with Trump remaining aboard the helicopter, and the slide could be seen extending from the plane.
The White House print pool reported spotting what appeared to be an inflatable emergency slide deployed from the right side front door of the Qatari-gifted Boeing 747. The door is opposite the entrance Trump typically uses to board the plane.
At the same time, the older white-and-blue Air Force One was seen moving out of its hangar and into position a few hundred yards behind the newer aircraft. The older jet then deployed its front and rear stairs.
The door of Marine One remained closed as of 2:19 p.m., according to the pool, fueling questions about whether the unexpected slide deployment had disrupted the president’s travel plans.
Trump later emerged from the helicopter and said the equipment had been tested to ensure it was working properly, indicating there had not been an emergency aboard the aircraft.
It was not immediately clear whether the safety check would affect which plane Trump would use for his next flight.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
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He wanted to see the test. Yanking everyones chain at the same time was just a bonus.
It’s always such a hassle when you get to the airport and your flight has an Emergency Slide Test (EST) Delay.
From the picture, it looks like he’s getting on the NEW Air Force One..you can see the colors and they aren’t blue...has to be a picture from today as the slide is apparent on the other side....
Looks like his hair color is what it usually is.
WHI is full of chit??
My favorite times in my carrer in aircraft design and manufacturing are tests. Especially destructive tests. Emergency slide tests are spectacular. Anyone would want to watch it. Here’s a fun video of emergency escape test for the a380. https://youtu.be/G_8hbsWKoOU
Watch it!? I would love to participate!
Alas, the closest I’ve ever gotten to aircraft testing was when I was handling security for a corporate lawyer suing the Navy over a cancelled aircraft.
The Navy sued my company for breach of contract, my company sued the Navy for breach of contract. Turned out both cases had merit, both sides dropped the suit.
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