Trump’s plane returns to base shortly after departure for Switzerland

President Donald Trump’s aircraft, Air Force One, turned back to Joint Base Andrews roughly an hour after taking off for Switzerland on the evening of January 20.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision was made shortly after departure, when the flight crew detected what she described as a “minor electrical issue.” Acting out of an abundance of caution, the crew opted to return to base, as per US media.

A reporter travelling with the president said the lights in the press cabin briefly went out soon after takeoff, though no immediate explanation was provided at the time. About 30 minutes into the flight, reporters were informed that the aircraft would be heading back to Washington.

Trump is expected to continue his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos aboard a different aircraft.

The two planes currently designated as Air Force One have been in service for nearly 40 years. Boeing has been working on replacement aircraft, but the program has encountered repeated delays. The existing planes are extensively modified to ensure presidential survivability under a wide range of scenarios, including features such as radiation shielding and antimissile defences. They are also equipped with advanced communications systems that allow the president to stay in constant contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.

Last year, Qatar’s ruling family gifted Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet intended for inclusion in the Air Force One fleet, a move that drew significant scrutiny. That aircraft is currently undergoing modifications to meet stringent US security standards. Leavitt joked with reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday night that the Qatari jet was sounding “much better” at the moment.

The incident follows other recent disruptions involving senior US officials’ flights. In February of last year, an Air Force plane carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Germany was forced to return to Washington due to a mechanical problem. In October, a military aircraft transporting Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth made an emergency landing in the United Kingdom after a crack was discovered in its windshield.

By Tamilla Hasanova