Trump’s Travel Halted as Emergency Plane Slide Deployed on Problematic New Air Force One

Donald Trump was left waiting aboard Marine One after an emergency evacuation slide deployed from the door of his controversial new Air Force One, delaying his departure for the Republican Midterm Convention.

‘So they’re checking the slide over here, and I think it’s going to take 15 minutes,’ Trump told reporters after finally stepping off the helicopter.

‘They were doing a check on the slide, you know, the emergency,’ Trump continued, adding, ‘they want to make sure everything works perfectly.’ 

Trump remained inside the helicopter for about 20 minutes after it touched down, with the door of Marine One closed, according to multiple reports. 

As the helicopter rolled to a stop, the older blue-and-white Air Force One was moved out of its hangar and into position a few hundred yards behind the Qatari-gifted jet, then lowered its front and rear steps.

Minutes later, the new plane had its inflatable emergency slide unfurled from the front door on the right-hand side, opposite the left-hand door the President normally uses to board.

Pressed on whether the aircraft was safe to fly, Trump responded: ‘Yeah, I am, or I wouldn’t be on it.’

Minutes after the oddity unfolded, the slide was reportedly seen being taken away from the new plane gifted to Trump from Qatar. 

The emergency slide of Air Force One is deployed ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s trip to the Republican National Midterm Convention, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., September 9

The slide’s deployment appeared to delay the president’s departure to Dallas for the GOP midterm convention he is attending on Wednesday and Thursday

Trump remained inside the helicopter well after it touched down, with the door of Marine One

After speaking with the press for a prolonged period as the slide was being dealt with, the President boarded the plane as the cameras were still rolling. 

The White House did not immediately explain the delay.

This comes after growing concerns about the new aircraft, which Trump abandoned in Turkey in July on the advice of the Secret Service. 

The President secretly sneaked off on the Qatari-gifted presidential jet in an airline catering truck and flew to England on a smaller plane. 

Reports from the time indicated that the new jet did not have all of the defensive capabilities of the typical Air Force One planes. 

The White House pushed back on that, saying that the President did not fly on the plane because he wanted US soldiers in England to be able to tour the new aircraft. 

The administration officially received the plane on July 1 after accepting the aircraft as a gift last year. 

There was an accelerated effort to retrofit the new plane to presidential standards, including adding defensive capabilities and more.  

Shortly after the President snuck off the plane in Turkey and returned to the US, the administration announced the Qatari-gifted jet would be worked on to receive further upgrades. 

Eventually the crew was able to deflate the emergency slide and whisked it away

Trump boarded the plane shortly after the incident after claiming the aircraft was safe to fly

The emergency slide deployed on the same side of the plane that Trump was snuck out of during his bait-and-switch in Turkey. 

Air Force One eventually took off just after 3pm local time, which may delay the President’s schedule for the rest of the evening. 

Trump is scheduled to deliver remarks at the GOP Midterm Convention in Dallas at 8.15pm local time.

Source: Daily Mail