At a Glance
- Air Force One returned to Joint Base Andrews roughly one hour into its flight to Davos
- A reporter aboard said cabin lights briefly lost power shortly after takeoff
- President Trump transferred to a smaller Air Force C-32 and departed again after midnight
- Why it matters: The incident highlights ongoing reliability questions for the aging presidential fleet
President Donald Trump’s journey to the World Economic Forum was abruptly interrupted Tuesday evening when the modified Boeing 747 serving as Air Force One developed an electrical problem minutes after departing Joint Base Andrews.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the flight crew noticed a “minor electrical issue” once airborne and, “out of an abundance of caution,” opted to turn the aircraft around. The plane landed back at the Maryland base after roughly one hour in the air.
According to a reporter traveling in the press cabin, the aircraft’s interior lights went dark for a short period shortly after takeoff, though no immediate explanation was provided to those on board. Approximately 30 minutes into the flight, journalists were informed that the plane would be returning.
After returning to the base, the president switched to an Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 typically reserved for domestic trips to airports unable to accommodate the larger 747. That aircraft departed for Switzerland shortly after midnight, allowing Trump to continue his planned appearance at the forum in Davos.
Aging Fleet Faces New Scrutiny
The two VC-25A aircraft that normally fly as Air Force One have been in service for nearly four decades. Boeing has been developing replacement jets, but the program has encountered repeated delays, leaving the current airframes to shoulder an ever-growing mission load.
Both aircraft are heavily modified with:
- Radiation shielding
- Anti-missile defenses
- Multiple hardened communications systems
- Survivability suites that allow the president to command military forces from anywhere in the world
Last year, Qatar’s ruling family gave Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 intended to join the presidential fleet. The aircraft is undergoing extensive security retrofits before entering service.
As reporters waited for the replacement jet to depart, Leavitt quipped that the Qatari gift was “sounding much better right now.”
Previous Military Flight Disruptions
Tuesday’s incident is the latest in a string of high-profile aircraft malfunctions affecting senior U.S. officials:
- February 2025: A military flight carrying Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Germany returned to Washington after developing a mechanical fault
- October 2024: A windshield crack forced a plane transporting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to make an emergency landing in the United Kingdom
The president’s comments earlier in the day acknowledged broader federal enforcement challenges. Speaking to reporters, Trump said federal agents “make mistakes sometimes” while implementing his immigration crackdown, remarks that follow weeks of confrontations including the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good.
Ethan R. Coleman reported this story, and it was first published by News Of Los Angeles.
