Air Force One was forced to turn back roughly half an hour after departure on Tuesday night due to a technical problem, though President Donald Trump ultimately still reached the World Economic Forum in Davos on schedule.
According to reports, the presidential aircraft reversed course shortly after leaving Washington, D.C., when an electrical malfunction was detected. The plane returned safely to Joint Base Andrews, where officials described the issue as minor but serious enough to warrant caution.
A White House pool reporter noted that the lighting in the press section briefly went dark during the flight, though no immediate explanation was provided. After landing, the president transferred to a different aircraft an Air Force C-32 to continue his trip to Switzerland. That aircraft is typically used for shorter or domestic routes, particularly to airports with limited runway capacity.
This incident marks at least the second transportation-related issue involving the president during his second term. Several months earlier, while visiting the United Kingdom, Marine One was forced to divert from its planned route due to a hydraulic concern and landed unexpectedly at Luton Airport. The White House later said the diversion was carried out purely as a precaution and that the president remained safe throughout.
Emergency responders were present during that unscheduled landing, though no injuries were reported.
Other senior administration officials have experienced similar problems. In early 2025, a military aircraft carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio returned to Washington after mechanical difficulties arose mid-flight. Later that year, a plane transporting Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made an emergency landing in the UK after a windshield crack was discovered.
During Tuesday’s Air Force One incident, President Trump was accompanied by several top officials, including Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett.
The latest malfunction has renewed attention on the age of the presidential fleet. The two Boeing 747 aircraft currently used as Air Force One entered service more than three decades ago and have faced recurring maintenance challenges over the years.
Trump has frequently criticized the aircraft, and those concerns reportedly contributed to his acceptance of a luxury Boeing 747-8 from the Qatari royal family a move that sparked controversy and raised ethical questions. The plane is reportedly undergoing extensive modifications to meet U.S. security standards and is expected to be transferred to Trump’s presidential library after he leaves office.
Although the temporary setback delayed his arrival slightly, Trump still attended the Davos forum. His appearance there was already expected to be tense following recent threats to impose sweeping tariffs on several European countries amid disputes involving Greenland’s political status under Denmark.
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