President Donald Trump’s journey to the World Economic Forum in Davos was briefly interrupted late Tuesday when Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews following what the White House described as a minor electrical issue.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the aircraft turned back as a precaution. Journalists onboard reported that cabin lights briefly went out shortly after takeoff, prompting the decision to return.
The plane landed safely just after 11 p.m. local time. Trump and his delegation later transferred to another aircraft and resumed their trip roughly two and a half hours later.
Air Force One remains one of the most recognizable symbols of American presidential power, yet Trump has repeatedly criticized the aging fleet. The current Boeing 747-200 aircraft entered service in 1990 during the presidency of George H.W. Bush.
Last year, Trump publicly expressed frustration over delays in Boeing’s delivery of two new 747-8 replacement aircraft, saying his administration was considering alternatives.
In May, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted a Boeing 747 offered by Qatar for potential use as Air Force One. The proposal triggered constitutional, ethical, and security debates, with critics questioning whether a foreign government should supply a US presidential aircraft.
Despite the disruption, White House officials stressed that Tuesday’s incident posed no serious danger and that Trump continued his trip as scheduled after the aircraft change.
The brief scare once again highlighted the aging condition of the presidential fleet and renewed attention on the future of Air Force One.
