Air Force One emergency slide deploys ahead of Trump boarding

The emergency slide on

the Air Force One was triggered on the hanger at an airbase in Maryland

as US President Donald Trump was set to

board, raising security concerns.

US President Donald Trump arrived at the Joint Base Andrews in Maryland

aboard Marine One on Wednesday afternoon for a scheduled trip

to Dallas but was kept on the helicopter for about 20 minutes as US Air Force personnel

attended to the Air Force One.

The emergency slide had deployed from the front right exit of the jet,

on the opposite side of the door Trump uses to board.

Meeting with the press before finally boarding, Trump was questioned

about the safety of the presidential plane.

Reporters on scene raised concerns over security,

a matter that has surrounded the jet since Trump

began flying on this gift from Qatar in July.

A US Air Force spokesperson says the plane

"continued safely on its planned route" after an

"emergency slide deployment."

The statement did not address whether the deployment was part of

the testing or an accident.

A person briefed on the matter later tells Reuters

a military personnel accidentally triggered the slide.

Trump boarded as the crew continued to work to deflate, detach and cart

away the slide.

The plane then took off and landed safely in Dallas a few hours later.

Trump said last week the 747 would be taken out of service

in October for unspecified security upgrades that would take

about 60 days.