Trump’s Air Force One turns back to Washington after ‘minor electrical issue’ | Donald Trump

Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, was forced to abort its flight to Switzerland on Tuesday and turn back after what authorities described as a “minor electrical problem.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision to return to Washington DC was made shortly after departure “out of an abundance of caution” once the crew detected the failure.

A White House reporter traveling with the president said the lights in Air Force One’s press booth went out briefly after the plane took off, although no further explanation was provided at the time.

Upon landing, Trump was to be transferred to a second plane and continue his journey to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The two aging planes currently serving as Air Force One have been in service for nearly four decades, and Boeing’s efforts to deliver replacement aircraft have been hampered by repeated delays.

Controversy erupted in 2025 when Qatar’s ruling family offered Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 to add to the presidential fleet – a move that drew scrutiny. The aircraft is currently being refitted to meet US safety standards.

Speaking to reporters on board Tuesday evening, Leavitt joked that the Qatari jet sounded “much better” at the time.

This unforeseen turnaround is expected to delay the president’s arrival in Davos. The meeting is overshadowed by Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on European countries on Greenland, which he remains determined to seize.

As he departed Monday evening, Trump told reporters: “Let’s put it this way: It’s going to be a very interesting Davos. ” Earlier, during a lengthy press conference celebrating his first anniversary in office, he was asked how far he would be willing to go to acquire Greenland and he simply replied: “You will find out.”

The delegation also includes Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett.

In February 2025, an Air Force plane carrying Rubio to Germany had to return to Washington due to a mechanical problem. In October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had to make an emergency landing in Britain due to a crack in the windshield.

Technical problems on the presidential plane are rare due to careful maintenance. In 2006, the main Air Force One suffered a mechanical malfunction while on the tarmac in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, forcing President George W. Bush to board the backup plane, a Boeing 757, to fly to his next destination in Indonesia.