Reporters crowded around President Trump on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews after an emergency evacuation slide deployed from the new Air Force One and briefly delayed his departure for Texas.

The president had remained aboard Marine One for several minutes while crews worked near the aircraft. When he stepped out, he walked directly toward the press and began answering questions about what had happened.

The first video showed the large inflatable slide hanging from the right side of the plane as Marine One sat nearby:

The Gateway Pundit focused its report on what happened when President Trump finally stepped away from Marine One. Reporters moved in around him on the tarmac and immediately asked why crews were checking the slide and whether the situation raised a security concern.

Trump said personnel were inspecting the equipment to make sure it worked properly, described the delay as brief, and indicated that the check should take about 15 minutes. The report included video of the president stopping to answer questions instead of proceeding directly to the aircraft.

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It also showed how quickly the press interaction developed after the unusual sight of the inflated slide drew attention. Trump remained outside with reporters while crews continued working near the jet, giving the traveling press a direct explanation before he boarded for Texas.

Another video showed crews pulling the slide down while the older presidential aircraft sat nearby as a backup:

CBS News reported that the emergency slide had inflated before President Trump boarded and extended from the new aircraft to the ground. The older Air Force One was brought into position nearby as a backup while Trump waited to leave Marine One.

According to the outlet, the president approached reporters and said workers were examining the slide, but he rejected the suggestion that there was a security concern and said the goal was to confirm that the equipment worked correctly. Crews eventually deflated the slide and hauled it away.

The new aircraft then departed without further incident for Dallas, where Trump was scheduled to attend the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention. CBS noted that the converted jet has moved in and out of service since its public debut earlier in the summer while additional security work continued.

A close-up clip captured the question about aircraft safety and the president’s response:

The Associated Press described the incident in its live coverage of the first day of the Republican midterm convention. AP reported that an inflated emergency slide was plainly visible on the side of Air Force One and that President Trump remained aboard Marine One for several minutes after arriving at Joint Base Andrews.

When he emerged and spoke with reporters, Trump characterized the work as a test of the slide. The delay came as he prepared to travel to Dallas for the convention, where he was expected to deliver a keynote address.

The AP account placed the equipment check within the day’s broader travel schedule and did not report an onboard emergency. Taken together with the footage from the tarmac, the sequence shows a precautionary check, a short delay, and a direct exchange between Trump and the reporters waiting near the aircraft.

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The new Air Force One ultimately departed after the slide was removed, with no further incident reported.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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