WASHINGTON D.C. – Air Force One, carrying President Donald Trump, was forced to turn back to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Tuesday evening due to a “minor electrical issue” shortly after departing for Davos, Switzerland. The aircraft landed back at the base approximately one hour after its initial takeoff. President Trump is expected to continue his journey to the World Economic Forum on a different aircraft.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the decision to return was made out of an abundance of caution after the flight crew detected the electrical fault. Reports from reporters on board indicated that the lights in the press cabin flickered off briefly after takeoff, though no further details were immediately provided. The president’s motorcade was observed rushing to Joint Base Andrews as the plane made its return.
Following the unscheduled landing, President Trump was scheduled to transfer to a secondary aircraft, a modified Boeing 757 typically used for domestic travel, to complete his trip to Davos. This incident is expected to cause a delay in his arrival and his scheduled address at the World Economic Forum. The president had commented to reporters before his initial departure that the trip would be “interesting”.
The two Boeing 747 aircraft currently serving as Air Force One have been in service for nearly four decades, and their replacement program has faced significant delays. The delivery of the first new replacement jet has been postponed to mid-2028, with the second delayed even further. This situation has led to scrutiny, particularly following a controversial gift of a luxury Boeing 747-8 from Qatar’s ruling family last year, which is currently being refitted to meet U.S. security standards.
While technical issues with presidential aircraft are rare due to rigorous maintenance, this is not the first time a high-level U.S. government plane has experienced problems. In February 2025, an Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio returned to Washington due to a mechanical issue, and in October, a military plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an emergency landing due to a cracked windshield. In 2006, a primary Air Force One suffered a mechanical malfunction, forcing President George W. Bush to use a backup aircraft.
