Politics
Emergency slide deployment briefly delays flight on Trump's interim Air Force One
A tarmac mishap caused a flight delay for the customized jet gifted by Qatar, according to Business Insider.
The short version
- Military personnel accidentally deployed an emergency slide on Donald Trump's Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday, delaying his departure to Dallas.[Business Insider]
- The aircraft is a VC-25B Bridge, a customized Boeing 747-8i valued at roughly $400 million that was gifted by Qatari royals and entered service in July.[Business Insider]
- The New York Times reported that the plane lacked antimissile defenses standard on earlier presidential jets, and Trump stated the aircraft would be removed from service for about a month to be upgraded.[Business Insider]
Key facts
- An accidental emergency slide deployment by military personnel at Joint Base Andrews delayed Donald Trump's flight to Dallas.[Business Insider]
- The aircraft is a VC-25B Bridge, an altered Boeing 747-8i worth approximately $400 million provided by Qatari royalty.[Business Insider]
- The New York Times reported that the aircraft lacked antimissile capabilities standard on earlier presidential aircraft.[Business Insider]
- Trump stated the plane would be taken out of service for around a month for enhancements.[Business Insider]
What remains uncertain
- The specific timeline and technical details of the planned enhancements to the aircraft were not detailed beyond Trump's statement.[Business Insider]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.