Trump’s Davos-Bound Jet Turns Back Mid-Flight: What Happened?

President Donald Trump’s plane had to return to an air base late Tuesday due to what the White House described as a “minor electrical issue” shortly after departing for Switzerland.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews as a precaution and touched down shortly after 11:00 pm (0400 GMT). Journalists aboard the flight reported that cabin lights briefly went out after takeoff.

Trump and his delegation switched to a different aircraft at Joint Base Andrews, departing again around 05:00 GMT, roughly two-and-a-half hours after the original takeoff.

Air Force One, with its iconic blue-and-white livery, remains one of the most recognizable symbols of the US presidency.

Trump has previously expressed dissatisfaction with the current fleet — two heavily modified Boeing 747-200B aircraft that have been in service since 1990, introduced during George H.W. Bush’s presidency. Last year, he indicated that his administration was exploring alternatives to Boeing after delays in the delivery of two new 747-8 planes. In May, the Pentagon accepted a Boeing 747 offered by Qatar for potential use as Air Force One. The donation, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, has sparked questions about security, legality, and ethics, given the sensitive nature of the presidential aircraft.