Boeing 747-8 (BBJ) ‘A7-HHE’ Qatar Amiri Flight (52750390113) · Alan Wilson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · cropped
An emergency evacuation slide deployed from the Boeing 747-8 serving as Air Force One on Wednesday afternoon, September 9, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, briefly delaying President Donald Trump’s departure for Dallas. Military personnel accidentally triggered the slide shortly before Trump was due to board, a person briefed on the matter told Reuters, and crews removed the slide before the jet departed. Trump told reporters on the tarmac that crews had been checking the slide and said he remained confident the aircraft was safe.
If you are trying to work out whether this delay affects your own travel plans, the short answer is that reporting described a delay to the presidential departure only, with no effect reported on commercial airline schedules. Travelers with capital region plans can keep the wider picture with our ranked things to do in Washington DC while the account below sets out exactly what happened on the tarmac, what was said, and what comes next for the jet.
- What happened: An emergency slide deployed from the Qatari-gifted Boeing 747-8 at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
- The delay: Trump landed aboard Marine One at 2:02 pm ET and stepped aboard the jet at 2:24 pm after crews cleared the slide.
- Two accounts: Reporting sources describe an accidental deployment, while Trump described it as a slide check.
- The outcome: Crews removed the slide, the jet departed for Dallas, and Trump said the aircraft was safe to fly.
What Happened on the Tarmac at Andrews
Trump arrived at Joint Base Andrews aboard the Marine One helicopter at about 2:02 pm ET ahead of a flight to Dallas for the first-ever Republican midterm convention. Around the same time, the emergency slide was seen extended from the 747-8 that has served as his primary presidential jet since July 1, reaching the ground beside the aircraft.
A military aide working on the jet accidentally deployed the slide, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, and a person briefed on the matter gave Reuters the same account: military personnel had accidentally triggered it. The slide was activated shortly before Trump was due to board, and the issue briefly delayed his departure while crews dealt with the inflated chute.
Trump stayed aboard Marine One for more than 20 minutes as the situation unfolded on the tarmac. During the wait, the older Air Force One with its light blue paint scheme pulled up and parked behind the newer aircraft, and crews were told the older plane was serving as the backup for the day. At 2:24 pm, the stairs of Marine One were extended and the president stepped off to board the 747-8.
What Trump Said Beside the Jet
Talking to reporters on the tarmac before boarding, Trump suggested the deployment had been intentional rather than accidental. They were doing a check on the slide, he said, adding that he thought the work takes about 15 minutes. Asked whether he knew the reason for the inspection and whether there was a security concern, he answered that the slide had already been put back and that crews wanted to make sure everything worked perfectly.
Asked directly by a journalist whether he was sure the plane was safe to fly, Trump answered plainly that he was, saying he would not be aboard it otherwise. The emergency slide was seen being taken away from the aircraft, and the jet then departed Andrews for Texas with the president aboard.
Two Accounts of One Slide
Readers will notice the two explanations do not match, and both deserve to be stated exactly as reported. The accidental deployment account comes from named newsroom reporting: CNN cited sources familiar with the matter and Reuters cited a person briefed on the matter, with both newsrooms publishing the accidental trigger version on September 9 and 10. The planned check account comes from Trump himself, speaking on the record to reporters standing on the tarmac.
The Air Force, which operates the presidential airlift fleet, did not immediately respond to a request for comment, so there is no third on-the-record account to break the tie. What is confirmed by direct observation is that the slide was out, that boarding was held up by roughly 20 minutes against the Marine One timeline, and that the aircraft departed after the slide was removed.
The Gifted 747-8 Behind the Story
The aircraft at the center of the incident is a Boeing 747-8 that Qatar gave to the United States, which Trump began using as Air Force One on July 1 after an accelerated renovation effort. He has often described the jumbo jet as superior to the older presidential plane, the older light blue jet that rolled up behind it on the Andrews tarmac as a standby on Wednesday.
A 747-8 typically carries 12 emergency inflatable evacuation slides, designed to bring passengers safely to the ground from a height of about 30 feet. The September 9 deployment involved one of those slides, seen extended from the side of the aircraft and later carried away by ground crews once it had been deflated and detached.
Trump said last week that the 747-8 will be taken out of service in October for unspecified security upgrades expected to take about 60 days. That schedule means the jet at Andrews on Wednesday is still relatively new to presidential service and is due back into maintenance within weeks.
Commercial Flights Saw No Reported Effect
Joint Base Andrews is a military installation in Maryland, and everything reported about Wednesday’s delay concerns the presidential aircraft and its boarding timeline. Neither the Reuters account nor the CNN account described any effect on commercial airline schedules, airport queues, or civilian terminals in the Washington area.
That distinction matters for travelers who see dramatic footage of an inflated slide beside a jumbo jet and wonder about their own bookings. A slide deployment on a presidential jet under military handling is a different event from a commercial evacuation, and nothing in the reporting suggests passengers on ordinary flights faced longer lines, rebookings, or gate changes because of it.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Are flying commercially through Washington this week | Carry on as planned, since no disruption to commercial schedules was reported, and check your own flight status with your airline as usual. |
| Are following the Dallas convention trip | Note the jet departed Andrews on Wednesday afternoon after the slide was removed, with Trump aboard. |
| Want to settle which slide account is right | Weigh the sourced accidental trigger reporting against Trump’s on the record check remarks, noting the Air Force had not commented as of publication. |
| Want to know what happens to the jet next | Watch for the October removal from service for about 60 days of security upgrades that Trump announced last week. |
September 9, 2026, is the incident gate. The slide deployed that afternoon at Andrews, was removed, and the Dallas departure went ahead the same day, so there is nothing pending for travelers from the event itself.
The Dallas convention trip is the context gate. The flight existed to carry Trump to the first-ever Republican midterm convention, which explains the fixed afternoon timeline and the standby older jet.
October 2026 is the upgrade gate. Before booking any trip around presidential travel coverage, note Trump said the 747-8 leaves service in October for about 60 days of security upgrades.
Did the Air Force One slide deploy by accident?
Sources cited by CNN and Reuters say military personnel accidentally triggered it, while Trump said crews were checking the slide. The Air Force had not commented, so both accounts stand as reported.
How long was Trump’s departure delayed?
Marine One landed at Andrews at 2:02 pm ET and Trump boarded the 747-8 at 2:24 pm, a gap of about 22 minutes. Trump said the slide work takes about 15 minutes.
Did Trump still fly on the same plane?
Yes. The older light blue Air Force One was staged as a backup, but Trump boarded the 747-8 after crews removed the slide and the jet departed for Dallas.
What aircraft is the new Air Force One?
A Boeing 747-8 given by Qatar, in presidential service since July 1 after an accelerated renovation. Trump says it leaves service in October for about 60 days of security upgrades.
Were commercial flights affected by the delay?
No effect on commercial flights was reported. The incident involved the presidential aircraft at a military base, not an airline schedule or civilian terminal.
