"They were checking it before, and they just wanted to make sure," Trump told reporters on the tarmac after exiting . "So they’ve, I guess, already put it up. They want to make sure everything works perfectly. "
The unusual scene unfolded after Marine One rolled to a stop near the presidential aircraft, with Trump remaining aboard the helicopter as the slide could be seen extending from the plane.
At the same time, the was seen moving out of its hangar and into position a few hundred yards behind the newer aircraft. The older jet then deployed its front and rear stairs.
TRUMP EXPLAINS WHY HE'S FLYING OLD AIR FORCE ONE BACK TO DC
The door of Marine One remained closed as of 2:19 p.m., according to the pool, fueling questions about whether the unexpected slide deployment had disrupted the president’s travel plans.
Trump later emerged from the helicopter and said the equipment had been tested to ensure it was working properly, indicating there had not been an .
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It was not immediately clear whether the safety check would affect which plane Trump would use for his next flight.
Fox News' Nick Rojas contributed to this report.