A departure by US President Donald Trump was briefly delayed on September 9, 2026, after an emergency evacuation slide accidentally deployed on the presidential aircraft at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. President Trump was scheduled to travel aboard the Boeing 747-8 aircraft to Dallas, Texas, to attend the Republican Party's midterm convention when the incident occurred on the tarmac moments before takeoff.
According to reporting cited by media outlets, a member of the US Air Force crew accidentally triggered the inflatable emergency slide during pre-flight checks. The emergency slide deployed from an exit on the front right side of the Boeing 747-8, opposite the entry door normally used by the president. President Trump arrived at the airfield aboard the Marine One helicopter from the White House, but remained inside the helicopter while military personnel worked to resolve the situation.
Military personnel subsequently inspected the aircraft, deflated the slide, and completely removed it from the plane. While waiting inside Marine One, President Trump spoke with reporters, explaining that personnel were checking the safety equipment to ensure the system operated properly. Asked if he was confident the aircraft was safe to fly, Trump replied in the affirmative, stating he would not board if he believed otherwise, before boarding the jet and departing for Texas without further incident.
The aircraft, a refurbished Boeing 747-8 jet originally provided by Qatar, was officially accepted by the US Department of Defense in May 2025. President Trump took his first flight on the aircraft on July 1, 2026, traveling to Medora, North Dakota. The US Air Force stated that the aircraft fulfills an imperative to relieve operational pressure on the aging VC-25A fleet until the long-term Boeing VC-25B enters service.
