An emergency inflatable slide was deployed on the Qatar-gifted Air Force One moments before Donald Trump boarded the aircraft.
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Images of the slide quickly went viral, sparking questions of whether there was a security threat.
Trump cleared the air, telling reporters that the slide was deployed as a routine check-up.
"They're checking the slide over here. And I think it's gonna take 15 minutes. They were doing a check on the slide, you know, the emergency -- so I think it takes about 15 minutes," Trump told reporters.
Trump later added that the aircraft was safe to fly in.
Trump Downplays Emergency Slide Usage
When ABC News asked Trump why the slide was deployed if there was no danger, Trump replied that they want to ensure that it "works perfectly."
The outlet noted that emergency slides are not typically tested moments before departure because it is time-consuming.
Still, Trump appeared unconcerned and pressed forward with plans to fly in the aircraft.
The Trump administration formally accepted the Boeing 747 on May 21, 2025, as a gift from the Qatar government.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted the $400 million plane "in accordance with all federal rules and regulations," Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to CNBC.
Trump previously called the aircraft the "most luxurious plane."
It's unclear how frequently Trump uses the gifted aircraft.
Per the White House, the emergency slide was removed entirely before the plane departed for Dallas.
A reserve Air Force One arrived shortly after as a backup option.
Trump is scheduled to deliver the keynote address on Wednesday night at the Republicans' first-ever midterm convention.
The bizarre timing of the emergency slide deployment marks the second time this year that Trump made an impromptu switch to a different plane.
Last month, Trump was secretly shuttled to an alternate plane in a catering truck.
Prompted by an Iranian assassination threat, Trump was forced to switch planes, according to the Washington Post.
The White House claimed that Trump was departing Turkey, where he attended the NATO Summit, via Air Force One. However, after boarding that plane, Trump was secretly shuttled to another aircraft in a catering truck.
