An emergency evacuation slide accidentally deployed from the Qatar-gifted Boeing 747-8 at Joint Base Andrews on September 9, briefly delaying President Donald Trump’s departure for Dallas. Military personnel reportedly triggered the slide shortly before Trump was scheduled to board.
Trump remained aboard Marine One for around 20 minutes while crews inspected and removed the deployed slide. He later reassured reporters that the aircraft was safe, saying he would not board if he had concerns about its safety.
The slide was removed before takeoff, and Trump subsequently boarded the Boeing 747-8 and continued his flight to Dallas for the Republican midterm convention. The U.S. Air Force did not immediately provide further details about the incident.
The aircraft, gifted to the United States by Qatar, has undergone extensive modifications for presidential use and began carrying Trump in July 2026.