Washington (TDI): US President Donald Trump’s aircraft was forced to return to its departure base late Tuesday after experiencing what the White House described as a “minor electrical issue” shortly after takeoff for Switzerland.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews as a precautionary measure. The aircraft landed just after 0400 GMT. Reporters traveling with the president said cabin lights briefly went dark soon after the plane became airborne.
Following the unscheduled return, Trump continued his journey to the World Economic Forum in Davos early Wednesday. He and his delegation switched aircraft at Joint Base Andrews and departed again shortly after 0500 GMT, roughly two and a half hours after the initial takeoff.
Air Force One, instantly recognisable in its blue-and-white colour scheme, is widely regarded as one of the most iconic aircraft in the world and a powerful symbol of the US presidency.
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Trump has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the current Air Force One fleet, which consists of two heavily modified Boeing 747-200B aircraft that entered service in 1990 during the presidency of George H.W. Bush.
Last year, Trump said his administration was exploring alternative options amid delays in Boeing’s delivery of two new 747-8 aircraft intended to replace the ageing jets.
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In May, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth accepted a Boeing 747 offered by Qatar for Trump’s use as Air Force One, a move that sparked intense debate. The aircraft, valued at hundreds of millions of dollars, raised constitutional, ethical, and security concerns due to its origin as a gift from a foreign government and the sensitive nature of presidential travel.
