Air Force One taking Trump to Davos turns around due to electrical issue
Donald Trump and his entourage switched to another plane and continued the trip to Switzerland
US President Donald Trump’s plane, Air Force One, returned to Joint Base Andrews about an hour after departing for Switzerland on Tuesday evening.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision to return was made after takeoff when the crew aboard Air Force One identified “a minor electrical issue” and, out of an abundance of caution, decided to turn around.
A reporter on board said the lights in the press cabin of the aircraft went out briefly after takeoff, but no explanation was immediately offered. About half an hour into the flight reporters were told the plane would be turning around.
Trump boarded another aircraft, an Air Force C-32, a modified Boeing 757 normally used by the president for domestic trips to smaller airports, and continued on with his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos shortly after midnight.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that Trump’s arrival in Davos, where he is due to address world leaders, would be delayed by about three hours.
The two planes currently used as Air Force One have been flying for nearly four decades. Boeing has been working on replacements, but the programme has faced a series of delays.