Mr. Obama generally uses that door only when Air Force One arrives in places, like Afghanistan, with high security concerns. (The carpet was there, but easy to miss, as was Mr. Obama, who popped out as if he were getting off a commuter flight at a municipal airport.) Even the national security adviser, Susan E. Rice, was hassled by security officials. Administration officials disputed the suggestion that the staircase incident was part of a broader attempt to humiliate Mr. Obama. “Part of it is we also have a much bigger footprint than a lot of other countries,” Mr. Obama said.

Source: New York Times September 05, 2016 04:13 UTC